China Defense Blog

Sunday, July 27, 2014

RIMPAC 2014 group photos, can you spot the PLAN boats in those photos?

3 SU-30MKK of the Flight Test and Training Centre kicks off the 'Aviadarts-2014' international pilot competition in Russia

July 22, 2014
China and Russia launch 'Aviadarts-2014' international pilot competition
MOSCOW (BNS): Fighter pilots from China, Russia and Belarus have kicked off the "Aviadarts-2014" air force competition in Western parts of Russia from Tuesday.

The contest is aimed at displaying precision-firing skills for unguided air-to-surface missiles and shooting ground targets with aircraft guns. It also involves testing of air navigation skills, air visual reconnaissance and single-plane or two-plane aerobatic flight skills among others.

The Chinese People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) has sent an aviation detachment and three Su-30 fighters to attend the competition being held in the cities of Voronezh, Lipetsk and at the Pogonovo testing range.

"This action facilitates the pragmatic cooperation between the air forces of China and Russia in military training field. The military cooperation between China and Russia is not targeted at any third party," the Chinese Defence Ministry said in a statement.

Russia's Western Military District will be represented at the final stage of Aviadarts-2014 teams flying a Su-34 fighter-bomber, a MiG-29SMT fighter jet, a Su-24M front-line bomber and Mi-8MTV-5 modernized transport technical helicopters, according to Ria Novosti.

The domestic portion of the contest started on May 21, at the Air Force Academy base in Voronezh and finished on May 26, at the Pogonovo air range in Lipetsk.

The international portion of the competition is to take place from July 22-28.

Read more: http://www.terminalx.org/2014/07/china-and-russia-launch-aviadarts-2014-intl-pilot-competition.html#ixzz38iYib74V

Photos of the day: CIWS of the North Korean Navy (Korean People's Army Naval Force)

They might not be very smart, but they are very big.

Confrimed. Venezuela to buy Hongdu L-15 Falcon lead-in fighter trainers

The negotiation to buy L-15 has been reported by several news outlets starting Feb of this year, including Janes. it seems that the final deal is now finalized as of July 24th.

Venezuela announces L-15 negotiations and K-8W shuffle
Inigo Guevara, Washington, DC - IHS Jane's Defence Weekly
26 June 2014
http://www.janes.com/article/40078/venezuela-announces-l-15-negotiations-and-k-8w-shuffle

Venezuela is in negotiations to procure 24 Chinese Hongdu L-15 Falcon lead-in fighter trainers, the country's new Military Aviation (AMB) Commander, General Eutimio Criollo Villalobos, announced on June 25.

Negotiations between Venezuela and China National Aero-Technology Import and Export Corporation (CATIC) began in November 2013, according to comments in local media by Minister of Defence Carmen Melendez in early April 2014.

According to Criollo Villalobos, who assumed command of the AMB in late May, the L-15 Falcons would be to equip Grupo Aereo de Caza No.12 (GAC-12 - Fighter Group No.12) at the Vicente Landaeta Gil airbase in Barquisimeto.

GAC-12 conducts advanced air-to-air and air-to-ground tactical training for student pilots destined for the F-16A/B and Su-30MKV.

委内瑞拉空军司令宣布订购中国L15及K8教练机
2014年07月24日 16:00 观察者网　
http://mil.news.sina.com.cn/2014-07-24/1600791972.html

　昨天，委内瑞拉空军司令比拉罗伯斯召开新闻发布会，宣布将用一种新型飞机替换委内瑞拉现役的美制OV-10“野马”战术支援飞机。同时，他宣布了订购L-15教练机和增购K-8W教练机的一些具体情况，包括采购数量。

　　此前有传闻说委内瑞拉计划购买24架巴西的EMB-314超级巨嘴鸟飞机替换其OV-10机队，因为美国对委内瑞拉的禁运已令其OV-10飞机无法继续运作。

　　委内瑞拉此前已经向中国采购了18架K-8W教练/轻型攻击机。这些飞机被用于装备第15飞行大队和第12战斗机大队，这两个大队此前装备的是CF-5A和NF-5A/B战斗机(美制，分别为加拿大和荷兰的二手飞机)。

　　虽然司令并未宣布使用何种机型替换OV-10飞机，但人们一般认为K-8W飞机可能被交付15航空大队，取代OV-10的地位。委内瑞拉空军训练中心已获得K-8飞机模拟器，并建立了维护中心，负责维护保养所有K-8飞机，这可能大大提高委内瑞拉空军实际操作这些飞机的能力——此前使用OV-10和F-5战斗机时，委内瑞拉没有类似能力。

　　同时委内瑞拉空军司令宣布，将把新购的L-15飞机交付第12战斗机大队，这个大队也承担了委内瑞拉空军教学任务。

　　据报道，今年4月有相关报道指出委内瑞拉正与中国谈判购买L-15战斗教练机，不过当时新闻尚未指出具体采购数量等信息。

　　当时人们推测是由于F-16战斗机日渐老化可能需要寻求一种新的可与其Su-30MK2战斗机配合作战的轻型多用途战斗机，因此选中了价格低廉的L-15。但从委内瑞拉空军司令的宣布来看，委内瑞拉显然并无将F-16退役的计划，该国的F-16战斗机目前全部装备第16战斗机大队。

　　但是另一方面，可以看出委内瑞拉空军目前确实饱受美国制裁的困扰，其现役西方制造的许多机型已经难堪大用。