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The naval version of the JL-9 Mountain Eagle trainer jet is being modified to enable it to train aircraft carrier jet pilots on an actual aircraft carrier at a time when China is in urgent need of training more aircraft carrier jet pilots, as its second carrier was just commissioned last year, reports said on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
Multiple promotional materials released by JL-9\u2019s developer, Guizhou Aviation Industry Corporation under the state-owned Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC), involved the JL-9 and an aircraft carrier operating together in edited pictures, leading to speculation that the JL-9 could eventually be modified into a carrier-based jet trainer, reported Weihutang, a column on military affairs affiliated with China Central Television, on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
The report came after the Guizhou company released a statement on Monday, saying it is determined to \u201cwin a new victory in developing and producing the naval version of the Mountain Eagle.\u201d<\/p>\n
The statement came with a picture of an aircraft carrier sailing in the sea, with a picture of the JL-9 Mountain Eagle edited onto it, flying above the carrier.<\/p>\n
Having been already delivered to the Chinese Navy, the naval version of the JL-9 is now training aircraft carrier jet pilots on land-based airfields, but China still does not have an aircraft carrier-based trainer aircraft that can take off and land on an actual carrier, Weihutang reported.<\/p>\n
With China\u2019s second aircraft carrier, the Shandong, joining Chinese naval service in December 2019, China needs to train more pilots more efficiently, and a trainer aircraft that can operate on a carrier rather than a simulated airfield can contribute a great deal to this aim, analysts said.<\/p>\n
Having the JL-9 fly on a carrier might require major modifications in aspects including the airframe structure and engine, Weihutang said.<\/p>\n
A powerful competitor to the single-engined JL-9 Mountain Eagle is the twin-engined JL-10 Falcon, which has a more advanced avionics system and better aerodynamic performance, the report said. But the JL-10 advanced trainer jet, developed by AVIC Hongdu Aviation Industry Group, is more expensive, analysts said.<\/p>\n
The JL-10, although not yet modified for aircraft carrier operations, is also in active service, according to publicly available reports.<\/p>\n