The People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) has accepted into service the first two JL-10 advanced jet trainers developed by Hongdu Aviation Industry Corporation.

The first squadron of the two JL-10 advanced jet trainers left from its Nanchang-based, 10 January. The JL-10 is also the first trainer aircraft to be fitted with a PESA radar (Developed by Institute 607).

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The JL-10 is an advanced jet trainer, export version is called L-15 Falcon. The JL-10 is powered by the Ukrainian Ivchenko Progress AI-222K turbofan; the LIFT variant uses the afterburning AI-222K-25F model.

A development aircraft was seen recently in China flying with PL-5II air-to-air missiles on wingtip rails, LS-6 GPS-guided glide bombs under the wings and a 23mm cannon pod under the belly.