China has concluded a deal with Ukraine to purchase powerplants for its Nan Chang K-8 jet trainers, replacing US-built AlliedSignal TFE731 engines.
Ukraine's Ivchenko Progress ZMKB design bureau and the Motor-Sich production plant have sealed a contract for delivery of 30 AI-25TL engines for the K-8J jet trainer.
Early-development models of the K-8 were powered by the AlliedSignal TFE731-2A, but releasability and local production issues have clouded the US manufacturer's position on the project.
Alexander Gavryushenko, foreign-economics manager at Progress,says that the contract for integration work to install the engines in the K-8J airframe and the delivery of the first batch of 30 engines was signed in late March.
The first two engines will be shipped to China in July, with eight more in November, and the remaining 20 in 1998. Gavryushenko hopes that as many as 300 engines may be ordered. Current deliveries are for the Chinese air force aircraft, although Pakistan is also acquiring the K-8.
Source: Flight International