The Pakistani Air Force (PAF) is to acquire L-15 supersonic jet trainer aircraft from China to equip its transition pilots with advanced fighters and reduce the number of its trainer aircraft from four to two.
The Hongdu-developed L-15 can carry light rockets and bombs, and air-to-air missiles. It mainly fulfils a counter-insurgency role.
The L-15 aircraft, equipped with two seats and two engines, features technologies such as digital quadruple fly-by-wire and glass cockpit (two multicolour head-down displays for both the front and rear cockpit.
The L-15 aircraft also features an additional head-up display for the front cockpit, and hands-on-throttle-and-stick (HOTAS) flight control.
The L-15 aircraft will replace the K-8 Karakorum basic / advanced jet trainer, which is currently used by the PAF.
The air force has conducted detailed examinations of the L-15 aircraft, and is currently undergoing negotiations on technical aspects and pricing.
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