35 years of the Chinese Hongdu JL-8 training and combat aircraft

November 21 marked the 35th anniversary of the Chinese Hongdu JL-8 training and combat aircraft, also known as Karakorum-8 (K-8). On that day in 1990, its first prototype took to the skies. It was with this seemingly unremarkable machine that the rise of the Chinese aviation industry began, which continues to this day.

The new training aircraft program was launched in 1986 as a joint Chinese-Pakistani venture. The leading role was played by the Chinese state-owned Nanchang Aircraft Manufacturing Company (NAMC) in Nanchang (Jiangxi Province), which was transformed into Hongdu Aviation Industry Corporation in 1998.

Initially, it was planned to make extensive use of American components. However, after the tragic events in Tiananmen Square in 1989, the US announced an embargo on the supply of defense and dual-use goods to China. The Chinese had to look for other partners. In particular, they agreed on the supply and then licensed production of the Ukrainian AI-25TLK twin-circuit turbojet engine with a maximum thrust of 1720 kgf (the Chinese version was named WS-11). However, in the 2000s, the Americans “forgot” about the embargo and began supplying Honeywell TFE731-2A engines with a thrust of 1590 kgf. They began to equip aircraft for export with these engines. In addition, modern versions of the JL-8 are equipped with digital avionics with multifunctional displays from the American company Rockwell Collins.

The export K-8 with a TFE731-2A engine has a length of 11.6 m, a wingspan of 9.63 m, a maximum take-off weight of 4,330 kg, a maximum speed of 800 km/h, and a practical range of 1,400 km. At the request of customers, the aircraft can be equipped with weapons, including a 23 mm cannon in a suspended container. It can also be equipped with infrared-guided air-to-air missiles and a wide range of “conventional” ground attack weapons with a total weight of 1,000 kg.

As of early 2025, more than 500 JL-8s had been built in seven main variants. In addition to China and Pakistan, 14 other countries have received them, including Angola, Bangladesh, Bolivia, Venezuela, Egypt, Sudan, and Sri Lanka. While in China the JL-8 is used primarily for pilot training, many other countries use these aircraft as light combat aircraft. Production and development of the JL-8 continues.