Myanmar orders FTC-2000G light combat aircraft from China

 

The Guizhou FTC-2000G Mountain Eagle light combat aircraft. Photo c/o  Aviation Week.

The Myanmar Air Force (MAF) is set to receive an unspecified number of FTC-2000G Mountain Eagle two-seat light combat aircraft made by Chinese aircraft manufacturer Guizhou Aviation Industries Corporation (GAIC).

The Myanmar government is believed to have ordered the aircraft in 2020 as part of efforts to modernize its air arm.

In 2020, China’s Global Times reported that China will be exporting the aircraft to an undisclosed Southeast Asian country, believed to be Myanmar, after signing a contract for an undisclosed number of aircraft in January 2020.

According to the report made by The Irrawaddy, the acquisition was not publicly disclosed by both China and Myanmar, although about 8 pilots, 8 technicians and at least 2 weapons officers of the MAF travelled to Kunming, China in June 2022.

The pilots were said to be assigned with MAF units flying the Chengdu F-7 fighter and the Nanchang A=5 attack aircraft, which are said to be the aircraft models to be replaced by the FTC-2000G.

The Irrawaddy’s sources also mentioned that the new light combat aircraft will be b ased at Namsang Aibase in Shan.

The trip to Kunming is believed to connected to training and familiarization with the FTC-2000G aircraft, and was already delayed due to COVID-19 pandemic and China’s strict policies on containing it.

The FTC-2000G Mountain Eagle is the export variant of the Guizhou JL-9 Shanying lead-in fighter trainer of the People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) and the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN), and can be used as a for flight training, surveillance and reconnaissance, patrol, close air support and air escort missions.

It was reported that the aircraft costs around US$8.5 million each, which is far cheaper than most of its non-Chinese counterparts.

[1] The Irrawaddy

[2] Janes

[3] Air Recognition