by Asiri Fernando in The Daily Morning, Dec 3, 2023
Two Chinese built Y-12IV aircraft, manufactured on order by Harbin Aviation Industry Co. Ltd, are expected to arrive in Sri Lanka during the early hours of today, with an official hand over to the Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) expected tomorrow (5), The Daily Morning learns.
The aircraft were expected to be ferried to Sri Lanka by a private company engaged by the manufacturer. The aircraft were to be ferried from an airfield in Kunming, in the Southern Yunnan province. An official handover ceremony is expected to take place tomorrow (05), where the both aircraft will be transferred to the SLAF No.08 Squadron, based at Ratmalana Air Force Base, it is learned.
The two new aircraft will replenish the SLAF’s dwindling fleet of Y-12 aircraft which have been a workhorse for the force since the 1980’s. Many Y-12 in SLAF service have reached the end of their “air-frame” life cycle and will soon become non-airworthy. The latest version of the Y-12 family to join SLAF service, is expected to have modern avionics and a “digital glass cockpit”. The purchase of the both aircraft were reportedly negotiated for around United States Dollars 15 Million in 2019.
Senior defence officials said that Sri Lanka and China began negotiations on acquiring the two aircraft in 2017. The order for the aircraft was placed in December 2019 when an agreement was signed between the Secretary to the Ministry of Defence on behalf of the Sri Lankan Government and the China National Aero-Technology Import and Export Corporation. The acceptance documents for the transfer of the new aircraft were signed in June this year in Beijing.
https://themorning.lk/articles/LhgsBdktuTAUAtbXWVX4
