1 photo

Trainer & light attack

China

Hongdu Aviation Industry Group

L-15

An advanced supersonic jet trainer and light attack aircraft built by Hongdu Aviation, used by the PLA Air Force to prepare pilots for fourth- and fifth-generation fighters. A lightly armed export variant, the L-15B, is marketed as a low-cost light combat aircraft.

In service since 2013 · 3 operator countries

Compiled from public sources ·primary reference ↗

Data confidence Last verified 2026-07-02 ·

Stub · 21%

1,520

km/h

3,100

km range

16,000

m ceiling

3,000

kg payload

Several performance figures for China-origin systems are manufacturer or state claims with limited independent verification. Treat these specs as directional, not tested values.

Pricing: Unit cost not publicly disclosed

Procurement snapshot

Availability & export

Chinese state channel

State export agencies (NORINCO/CATIC); limited availability to Western-aligned states.

Channel: State export agency

Fielded & proven

Limited · 3 operators

In service since 2013. Status: active · ~200 built.

Lifecycle cost (est.)

No public unit price to model from. Why so few systems publish one →

Interoperability

No standardised NATO calibre / datalink detected in public specs.

Competitive field

10 comparable systems from 8 other manufacturers

Counted in the WeaponSpecs database: trainers built by another manufacturer that share at least one published role with this system. A count of what this catalog holds, not a survey of the whole market. See the alternatives →

Derived guidance from public data, export regime by country of origin, lifecycle from the GAO ~30% acquisition rule. Verify eligibility, pricing and offsets with the manufacturer and your acquisition authority.

Compatible munitions & weapons

Publicly reported weapons the L-15 can carry. Linked items have a full spec page.

PL-5 air-to-air missile unguided rockets precision-guided bombs

Full specifications

Performance

Speed, range, altitude and engagement capability.

Performance specifications
Max speed Maximum level speed. For aircraft this is at optimal altitude; for ground vehicles, top road speed. Higher means faster response and better kinematic performance.	1,520 km/h Top 9% of trainers
Max speed (Mach) Maximum speed as a multiple of the speed of sound. Mach 2+ is typical for air-superiority fighters.	1.4 Mach Stronger than 80% of trainers
Range Maximum distance: ferry range for aircraft, operational range for vehicles, maximum engagement distance for missiles. Higher means more standoff or persistence.	3,100 km Top 9% of trainers
Service ceiling Maximum operating altitude. Higher gives energy advantage and sensor horizon.	16,000 m Top 3% of trainers

Firepower

Armament, payload and guidance.

Firepower specifications
Hardpoints External stations for weapons and pods. More means bigger and more flexible loadouts.	6 Stronger than 61% of trainers
Weapons payload Maximum ordnance weight the platform can carry. Higher means more strike capacity per sortie.	3,000 kg Stronger than 77% of trainers

Physical

Dimensions, weight and crew.

Physical specifications
Length Overall length including gun/probe where applicable.	12.27 m
Wingspan Wingtip-to-wingtip span.	9.48 m
Height Overall height. Lower profile is harder to spot and hit for ground vehicles.	4.81 m
Empty weight Weight without fuel, ammunition or crew.	6,500 kg
Combat weight Fully loaded weight. Lighter eases transport and bridging limits; heavier often means more armor.	9,800 kg
Crew Personnel required to operate. Fewer reduces exposure; autoloaders trade a loader for mechanical complexity.	2

Propulsion

Engine, power and fuel.

Propulsion specifications
Engine Powerplant model and type.	2x Ivchenko-Progress AI-222K-25F turbofans
Engines Number of engines. Twin-engine gives redundancy at higher cost.	2
Thrust Total engine thrust (with afterburner where applicable).	41 kN Stronger than 86% of trainers
Propulsion type Turbofan, turboshaft, diesel, gas turbine, solid-fuel rocket, ramjet…	Turbofan

Program

Cost, production scale and operators.

Program specifications
Units built Total production run. Higher means proven manufacturing, mature logistics and spares availability.	200 Stronger than 64% of trainers
Operator countries Number of countries operating the system. More operators means broader support ecosystem.	3 Stronger than 44% of trainers

Specifications compiled from public Hongdu Aviation Industry Group and reference sources ↗. Published defense figures are approximations, treat comparisons as directional. Last verified 2026-07-02.

Compare with rivals

See how it stacks up

Trainer & light attack

L-15 M-346 Master

Leonardo M-346 Master

View M-346 Master ↗

Trainer & light attack

L-15 T-50 Golden Eagle

Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) T-50 Golden Eagle

View T-50 Golden Eagle ↗

Trainer & light attack

L-15 Yak-130

Yakovlev Yak-130

View Yak-130 ↗

Head-to-head comparisons

L-15 vs

Frequently asked questions

What is the top speed of the Hongdu Aviation Industry Group L-15? +

The Hongdu Aviation Industry Group L-15 has a maximum speed of 1,520 km/h.

What is the range of the Hongdu Aviation Industry Group L-15? +

The Hongdu Aviation Industry Group L-15 has a maximum range of 3,100 km.

What is the weapons payload of the Hongdu Aviation Industry Group L-15? +

The Hongdu Aviation Industry Group L-15 can carry up to 3,000 kg of weapons payload.

How much does the Hongdu Aviation Industry Group L-15 weigh? +

The Hongdu Aviation Industry Group L-15 has a combat weight of 9,800 kg.

How many crew does the Hongdu Aviation Industry Group L-15 require? +

The Hongdu Aviation Industry Group L-15 requires a crew of 2.

What engine does the Hongdu Aviation Industry Group L-15 use? +

The Hongdu Aviation Industry Group L-15 is powered by the 2x Ivchenko-Progress AI-222K-25F turbofans.

What is the Hongdu Aviation Industry Group L-15 used for? +

The Hongdu Aviation Industry Group L-15 is a trainer & light attack typically used for close air support.

How many countries operate the Hongdu Aviation Industry Group L-15? +

The Hongdu Aviation Industry Group L-15 is operated by 3 countries.

How much does the Hongdu Aviation Industry Group L-15 cost? +

Hongdu Aviation Industry Group L-15: Unit cost not publicly disclosed. Defense program costs are rarely fully public and vary by contract and configuration.