Ivchenko-Progress to start supplying engines for L-15 aircraft to China in March
5 March, 12:01 | Interfax-Ukraine

http://www.kyivpost.com/nation/36796
The state enterprise Ivchenko-Progress (Zaporizzhia), a Ukrainian design bureau of aircraft engines, will supply to China in March a pilot run of AI-222-25F engines for the L-15 training and light attack aircraft.

"It is a modern aircraft. It has a short takeoff, can bear a large ordinance load, can be a scout, and can easily manoeuvre like an acrobatics aircraft. It is hard to hit with a missile. It ha s a great future, and I think our engine will evolve," the chief designer of the state enterprise Ivchenko-Progress, Fedir Muravchenko, said at a press conference on Tuesday.

As required by the customer, the engine allows the plane to do loops, spins, and narrow curves.

According to the chief designer, the aircraft with the said properties is interesting not only to China, but to Russia and Italy also. There have also been some requests from the Ukrainian armed forces.

The new engine was developed jointly with Russian designers authorized to carry out work of this kind.

The state enterprise Ivchenko-Progress designed the AI-222 family of turbojet engines with a take-off thrust ranging from 2200 to 4500 kgf (augmented modifications) for modern training and combat aircrafts. At the moment, the bench tests are being carried of the AI-222-25F engine with an augmented take-off thrust 4200 kgf. It is planned to develop a turbojet engine on the basis of the gas producer with a take-off thrust 3500-4150 kgf for executive aircrafts, and a turboshaft engine with a power of 7000-8000 horse power for helicopters and regional aircraft.