By Asiri Fernando in The Morning, June 18, 2023
The Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) last week signed an acquisition agreement with Chinese aviation giant China National Aero-Technology Import and Export Corporation for the purchase of two state-of-the-art Y-12 IV aircraft, The Sunday Morning reliably learns.
The SLAF has been pursuing the replenishment of its ageing Y-12 light transport aircraft fleet since 2017, with orders placed with the manufacturer in late 2019.
With a number of Y-12s in the SLAF inventory reaching the end of their lifespan, many will become unserviceable in the coming years, a senior defence official told The Sunday Morning, speaking on terms of anonymity.
It is learnt that Air Force Commander Air Marshal Sudarshana Pathirana signed the official acceptance documentation at a ceremony held in Beijing last week.
When contacted, Air Force Spokesperson Group Captain Dushan Wijesinghe acknowledged that the SLAF had signed acceptance papers for two Y-12 IV aircraft, but would not provide details.
The Y-12 IV, the latest iteration of the Y-12 series of turboprop twin-engine, light transport aircraft, incorporates extended wing tips and an increased take-off weight, enhancing its performance capabilities, and includes modern avionics with a ‘glass cockpit’ instrument and information display console system.
The Y-12 aircraft has been in service with the SLAF since the 1980s and is manufactured by Harbin Aviation Industry Co. Ltd. in China.
https://www.themorning.lk/articles/XGzgBOZBRsIOWv4Xhg5g
