Posted on 01/27/2010 3:54:13 AM PST by ErnstStavroBlofeld
Following its leftist allies lead, Bolivia has ordered six K-8 trainer aircraft from China. Venezuela paid about $25 million each for theirs, but it's not known what Bolivia will pay. China has exported K-8s to several other countries (often at bargain prices), including Myanmar (Burma). Bolivia wants to use the K-8 as a light strike aircraft (against rebels and drug gangs), with secondary duty as a trainer. Also being purchased are ten Mi-17 transport helicopters. The K-8 (also called JL-8) is a 4.3 ton, two seat, jet trainer. It uses a American, Chinese or Ukrainian engines. Originally, China was going to just use a 3600 pound thrust American engines. But after the 1989 Chinese crackdown on pro-democracy forces, the United States cut off the supply of engines. This encouraged China to design a similar engine (the WS-11). But China has had a hard time mastering the precise technologies and manufacturing techniques needed to build jet engines. So it has been buying the Ukrainian AI-25TLK, while it works to perfect its own engine design.
The K-8 has a cruising speed of 800 kilometers an hour, endurance of four hours and five hard points. It can carry a 23mm cannon in the hard point under the fuselage, and half a ton of bombs, rockets or missiles, from the four hard points on the wings. This gives the aircraft combat capability, at least against a foe with few anti-aircraft weapons. Electronics on the JL-8 are minimal, as it's basically a two seat trainer, to prepare fighter pilots before they climb into anything from a an F-16 to Su-30s
(Excerpt) Read more at strategypage.com ...
If we had a President with balls there would be F22s flying top cover over them. Just to show them who is the boss around here.
When it comes to fact, Strategypage appears to be mighty liberal. Even a two year old wouldn’t call the K-8 a bomber.
>>>>If we had a President with balls there would be F22s flying top cover over them
F22s are the “Rolls Royces” of the jet fighter world. These Chinese jets are the Hyundais. There is simply no contest.
It’s a bit rich to even compare it to a Soviet era Volga!! It’s an intermediate jet trainer-not meant to be used for the flashy role Strategypage attributes to it.
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