In the face of Turkish air forces, the Syrian government has only a few old MiG-29s or very old MiG-23s, and Syria has begun to look for light fighters to restore its air force’s combat capabilities. However, according to the oral agreement reached between Russia and Turkey, Moscow will not sell fighters and anti-aircraft missiles to Syria in the near future.
At present, the two main rivals of the Syrian Air Force – Turkey and Israel – are equipped with advanced F-16 fighters, while the Syrian government’s military budget is limited and cannot afford fighter jets comparable to F-16.
Apart from Russia and some light fighters with American parts, only China’s JF-17 and FTC-2000 (JL-9) are available. However, as a JF-17 partner, Pakistan has the right to refuse to sell the aircraft to Syria, and Pakistan would probably do so as it enjoys a sound relationship with Turkey.
Therefore, according to military commentator Dingsheng Junshi, the Syrian Air Force could only choose the other light fighter – FTC-2000G Fighter-Trainer, which is a multi-purpose fighter designed and manufactured by Guizhou Aircraft Industry Corporation, and its No.2 jet just made its maiden flight on October 29, 2019. FTC-2000G can fly at supersonic speed and is fully capable of being a fighter.
The most important thing for Syria is that all the technology and components of FTC-2000G, including the engine, are made in China, so its export would not be restricted by any other countries. The Sudanese Air Force has already been equipped with this multipurpose fighter.
FTC-2000 Shanying (Mountain Eagle) has a maximum take-off weight of 7,800 kg and can carry a variety of ammunition, including precision-guided bombs, cluster bombs, anti-tank bombs, anti-radiation missiles, and various air-to-air missiles.
In respect of air combat, FTC-2000G’s radar has good beyond-line-of-sight attack capabilities, and its high mobility enables it to carry various ammunition for air combat, combat escort, patrol, and ground strike missions.
Data shows that the unit price of FTC-2000 is only 8.5 million US dollars. Even if some advanced equipment is added, it is estimated to be about 10 million US dollars – Syria can fully afford it.
Dingsheng Junshi commented that as long as tactical training is conducted based on FTC-2000’s characteristics, and with support from ground radars, it would be able to fight against the Turkish Air Force.
