In August, Myanmar received six additional FTC-2000G fighter jets from China, further strengthening its military capabilities as the junta intensifies airstrikes on areas under the control of ethnic armed groups, local news outlet Irrawaddy said.
These warplanes are part of an order placed in 2020, but their delivery and pilot training were delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic and China's strict containment measures. The first batch of six jets was delivered in November 2022, and the second batch arrived in August 2024.
The new jets have been stationed at Namhsan airbase in southern Shan State, where Myanmar Air Force pilots are undergoing familiarization training, according to Zeya, a former sergeant who deserted after the 2021 coup. He also reported that the regime recently acquired additional equipment for the aircraft.
The FTC-2000G is a versatile two-seat fighter, designed by Guizhou Aviation Industry Corporation under China's Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC). It is the export version of the Guizhou JL-9, already in use by China’s military and the Sudanese armed forces. The aircraft is capable of attack, training, reconnaissance, and electronic warfare, and can carry up to 3 tonnes of missiles, rockets, or bombs. Primarily designed for ground attacks, its operational ceiling is 16,000 meters, making it vulnerable to certain surface-to-air missiles.
This recent acquisition signals closer military cooperation between Myanmar and China. In August, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with junta leader Min Aung Hlaing in Naypyitaw, after which Myanmar's military launched around 40 airstrikes targeting civilians, including schools, hospitals, and a relief camp. The attacks have claimed at least 180 lives, including dozens of children, according to The Irrawaddy.
Zeya also mentioned that Chinese engineers are overhauling Y-8 aircraft for Myanmar's Air Force, which relies heavily on Chinese and Russian-made planes. In January, the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) shot down an FTC-2000G during an airstrike in northern Shan State.
The arrival of these new jets coincides with increased air raids on civilian areas in Shan, Rakhine, Kachin, and Kayah states, as well as in Sagaing Region.
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