China's J-15 naval jet appears with indigenous WS-10 engines

by Akhil Kadidal & Prasobh Narayanan

China appears to have fitted at least one SAC J-15 naval fighter with a domestic WS-10B Taihang engine. The potential maturity of this powerplant could free China from its dependency on Russia for combat jet engines. (AFP/Getty Images)

A Shenyang Aircraft Corporation (SAC) J-15 ‘Flying Shark' naval fighter has been fitted with what appears to be a pair of domestically developed engines.

The aircraft was spotted in a video imagery of a hangar at an SAC factory. The footage was aired on 23 November during a China Central Television (CCTV) news report on the 10th anniversary of the J-15 starting sea trials on China's first aircraft carrier, the Liaoning.

Janes assesses that the new engine is a variant of the Liming WS-10 Taihang engine. There is a roughly even chance that the ‘B' variant of the Taihang has been installed in the jet. According to Janes Aero-Engines data, the WS-10B is potentially a more powerful version of the WS-10A. The thrust rating of the WS-10B is 135 kN (30,350 lb st).


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HAL delays delivery of first Tejas Mk 1A to mid-2024

by Akhil Kadidal

The first production Tejas Mk 1A takes off from the HAL airport in Bangalore on 28 March 2024. (HAL)

Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) has test-flown its first production Tejas Mk 1A Light Combat Aircraft (LCA). However, the Indian Air Force (IAF) is unlikely to get the aircraft until mid-2024, an industry source told Janes .

According to HAL, the first production aircraft, serial no LA-5033, conducted an 18-minute successful sortie from the HAL airport in Bengaluru on 28 March. HAL intended to deliver at least one Tejas Mk 1A to the IAF by February 2024, a deadline that was subsequently moved up to 31 March. Janes understands that the handover of LA-5033 to the IAF could possibly require at least two additional months.

An industry source told Janes that the delay in delivery is because of ongoing “disruptions in the supply chain” for the programme.


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New Chinese attack helicopter in development

by Akhil Kadidal

This concept image of China's new attack helicopter, tentatively designated as Z-21, is based on photographs of the prototype aircraft in flight. (Janes)

China is developing a new attack helicopter that appears to be in the same weight class as the US Boeing AH-64 Apache and the Russian Mil Mi-28 Havoc.

Images of the new helicopter, which emerged on Chinese social media in March 2024, show an aircraft that is larger than the People's Liberation Army's (PLA's) in-service AVIC (Aviation Industry Corporation of China) Changhe Aircraft Industries Group (CHAIG) Z-10 attack helicopter, and with a wider central fuselage that is comparable with the Apache. The fuselage includes cheek fairings similar to the AH-64 Apache and a nose configuration similar to the Mi-28. The AH-64E and the Mi-28N have a maximum operating weight of 10–12 tons.

The new helicopter (tentatively designated as Z-21 by Chinese military observers) also appears to incorporate some of the PLA's latest combat helicopter features such as upward-facing engine exhausts to reduce its infrared signature.


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Hungarian Air Force A319 VIP jets likely fitted with Bird AeroSystems DIRCM

by Gareth Jennings

The Bird AeroSystems defensive aids installation fitted to an A319 airliner (pictured here) of an undisclosed European operator. (Bird AeroSystems)

Bird AeroSystems has fitted its aircraft defensive aids system (DAS) for an undisclosed European A319 operator, likely the Hungarian Air Force (HuAF).

The Israeli company said on 27 March that its Self Protection Radar Electro-Optic System (SPREOS) directed infrared countermeasure (DIRCM) and Aeroshield Missile Protection System (AMPS) had been fitted to multiple A319 aircraft for an undisclosed customer to protect against surface-to-air missile threats.

“At the core of this project is the SPREOS, a patented DIRCM system for missile approach verification, tracking, and laser jamming,” the company said. “The installation also included Bird's versatile AMPS solution, designed for both military and civilian markets, providing complete protection against ground-to-air threats, including [manportable air-defence system] MANPADS attacks, for helicopters and VVIP aircraft for heads of states. Additionally, the installation of the AeroShield pod solution on the Airbus A319 aircraft was expanded to be installed also for Dassault Falcon 7X aircraft,” it added.


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https://www.janes.com/defence-news/air-platforms/latest/chinas-j-15-naval-jet-appears-with-indigenous-ws-10-engines

A Shenyang Aircraft Corporation (SAC) J-15 ‘Flying Shark' naval fighter has been fitted with what ap...

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