Myanmar has bought FTC-200G fighter jets from China

Myanmar's air force ordered several FTC-200G fighter jets from China, the Southeast Asian country's main arms supplier. For this reason, a team of 8 Air Force pilots, 8 technicians and two military officers went to China via Kunming in June. News from Irrawaddy.

According to the news, there were strict corona restrictions in China at that time. Because of this, Myanmar workers in Kunming had to go through quarantine. The pilots of this team are proficient in F-7, A-5 and K-8W aircraft.

According to sources close to the purchase, the new fighters are replacing the Myanmar Air Force's aging F-7s and A-5s, and the new planes may be based at Namsang Airbase in Shan State.

It is not yet known when the agreement between Beijing and Naypyidaw was signed. However, the contract is supposed to be executed in 2020 but the distribution and pilot training has been delayed due to the Corona pandemic.

The FTC-200G is an advanced light multi-role trainer/fighter aircraft. It was built by the Guizhou Aviation Industry Corporation under the supervision of the Aviation Industry Corporation of China, a Chinese state-owned aerospace and defense company. The two-seater fighter has attack and combat capability along with training capability. It is known that the price of one warplane is 85 million US dollars.

In April 2020, a report in Cambodia and China's Global Times revealed that China plans to sell the aircraft to an undisclosed Southeast Asian country. However, the report did not say how many units will be sold. However, according to the report, the contract was signed in January 2020 and deliveries will begin in early 2021 and be completed two years later.

The report identifies Cambodia and Myanmar as potential buyers, as both countries are closely aligned with China militarily and politically.