Karakorum - 8 (K-8) | Jet Trainer Aircraft.

[Viper0011.]

View attachment 197632

May be I am not seeing this clearly, but does this trainer has IRIST? The sensor after the cockpit but before the nose cone, looks like an IRIST sensor...?

 

[DESERT FIGHTER]

23rd March parade rehearsals (Sherdils Team) :

 

[LonE_WolF]

 

[LonE_WolF]

 

[IrbiS]

May be I am not seeing this clearly, but does this trainer has IRIST? The sensor after the cockpit but before the nose cone, looks like an IRIST sensor...?

Where?

 

[fatman17]

Just a nice pic

 

[fatman17]

K8 Basic Advanced trainer aircraft

 

[Saifullah]

View attachment 205952 View attachment 205953

Looks very nice in this color scheme.

 

[fatman17]

K8 flight line

 

[DESERT FIGHTER]

 

[IrbiS]

 

[nomi007]

First Batch of K-8 Pilots PAF (Pioneers) !!!

 

[Blue Marlin]

 

[fatman17]

Sherdils

 

[niaz]

PAF K-8 is fitted with Honeywell TFE 731-2A-2A engine with 16.1 KN thrust whereas Chinese JL-8 has more powerful WS-11 engine with 16.9 KN thrust. This translates into K-8 being underpowered with max speed limited to Mach 0.75 and less than 2000 KG load. Our neighbouring IAF has BAE Hawk Jet trainers that boast of Mach 0.84 max and 3,000 KG useful load.

Hence, on paper K-8 falls into the category of Intermediate Trainers. Advanced Jet trainers such as Alenia Aermacchi M-346, T-50 & JL-9 are capable of much higher performance. I have therefore following questions:

1. Does PAF have any plans of fitting a more powerful engine to push the max speed of K-8 to say Mach 0.9?

2. Would PAF induct a supersonic advanced trainer in the foreseeable future?