China Hongdu Aviation Industry Group
L-15
An advanced supersonic jet trainer and light attack aircraft built by Hongdu Aviation, used by the PLA Air Force to prepare pilots for fourth- and fifth-generation fighters. A lightly armed export variant, the L-15B, is marketed as a low-cost light combat aircraft.
In service since 2013 · 3 operator countries
Compiled from public sources ·primary reference ↗ ·last verified 2026-07-02
1,520
km/h
3,100
km range
16,000
m ceiling
3,000
kg payload
Pricing: Unit cost not publicly disclosed
Procurement snapshot
Availability & export
Chinese state channel
State export agencies (NORINCO/CATIC); limited availability to Western-aligned states.
Channel: State export agency
Fielded & proven
Limited · 3 operators
In service since 2013. Status: active · ~200 built.
Lifecycle cost (est.)
No public unit price to model from.
Interoperability
No standardised NATO calibre / datalink detected in public specs.
Derived guidance from public data, export regime by country of origin, lifecycle from the GAO ~30% acquisition rule. Verify eligibility, pricing and offsets with the manufacturer and your acquisition authority.
Compatible munitions & weapons
Publicly reported weapons the L-15 can carry. Linked items have a full spec page.
Full specifications
Performance
Speed, range, altitude and engagement capability.
- Max speed
Maximum level speed. For aircraft this is at optimal altitude; for ground vehicles, top road speed. Higher means faster response and better kinematic performance.
- 1,520 km/h Stronger than 89% of trainers
- Max speed (Mach)
Maximum speed as a multiple of the speed of sound. Mach 2+ is typical for air-superiority fighters.
- 1.4 Mach Stronger than 80% of trainers
- Range
Maximum distance: ferry range for aircraft, operational range for vehicles, maximum engagement distance for missiles. Higher means more standoff or persistence.
- 3,100 km Top 3% of trainers
- Service ceiling
Maximum operating altitude. Higher gives energy advantage and sensor horizon.
- 16,000 m Top 3% of trainers
Firepower
Armament, payload and guidance.
- Hardpoints
External stations for weapons and pods. More means bigger and more flexible loadouts.
- 6 Stronger than 61% of trainers
- Weapons payload
Maximum ordnance weight the platform can carry. Higher means more strike capacity per sortie.
- 3,000 kg Stronger than 75% of trainers
Physical
Dimensions, weight and crew.
- Length
Overall length including gun/probe where applicable.
- 12.27 m
- Wingspan
Wingtip-to-wingtip span.
- 9.48 m
- Height
Overall height. Lower profile is harder to spot and hit for ground vehicles.
- 4.81 m
- Empty weight
Weight without fuel, ammunition or crew.
- 6,500 kg
- Combat weight
Fully loaded weight. Lighter eases transport and bridging limits; heavier often means more armor.
- 9,800 kg
- Crew
Personnel required to operate. Fewer reduces exposure; autoloaders trade a loader for mechanical complexity.
- 2
Propulsion
Engine, power and fuel.
- Engine
Powerplant model and type.
- 2x Ivchenko-Progress AI-222K-25F turbofans
- Engines
Number of engines. Twin-engine gives redundancy at higher cost.
- 2
- Thrust
Total engine thrust (with afterburner where applicable).
- 41 kN Stronger than 86% of trainers
- Propulsion type
Turbofan, turboshaft, diesel, gas turbine, solid-fuel rocket, ramjet…
- Turbofan
Program
Cost, production scale and operators.
- Units built
Total production run. Higher means proven manufacturing, mature logistics and spares availability.
- 200 Stronger than 64% of trainers
- Operator countries
Number of countries operating the system. More operators means broader support ecosystem.
- 3 Stronger than 43% of trainers
Specifications compiled from public Hongdu Aviation Industry Group and reference sources ↗. Published defense figures are approximations, treat comparisons as directional. Last verified 2026-07-02.
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What is the top speed of the Hongdu Aviation Industry Group L-15? +
The Hongdu Aviation Industry Group L-15 has a maximum speed of 1,520 km/h.
What is the range of the Hongdu Aviation Industry Group L-15? +
The Hongdu Aviation Industry Group L-15 has a maximum range of 3,100 km.
What is the weapons payload of the Hongdu Aviation Industry Group L-15? +
The Hongdu Aviation Industry Group L-15 can carry up to 3,000 kg of weapons payload.
How much does the Hongdu Aviation Industry Group L-15 weigh? +
The Hongdu Aviation Industry Group L-15 has a combat weight of 9,800 kg.
How many crew does the Hongdu Aviation Industry Group L-15 require? +
The Hongdu Aviation Industry Group L-15 requires a crew of 2.
What engine does the Hongdu Aviation Industry Group L-15 use? +
The Hongdu Aviation Industry Group L-15 is powered by the 2x Ivchenko-Progress AI-222K-25F turbofans.
What is the Hongdu Aviation Industry Group L-15 used for? +
The Hongdu Aviation Industry Group L-15 is a trainer & light attack typically used for close air support.
How many countries operate the Hongdu Aviation Industry Group L-15? +
The Hongdu Aviation Industry Group L-15 is operated by 3 countries.
How much does the Hongdu Aviation Industry Group L-15 cost? +
Hongdu Aviation Industry Group L-15: Unit cost not publicly disclosed. Defense program costs are rarely fully public and vary by contract and configuration.
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