By Maxim Pyadushkin
Aerospace Daily & Defense Report, Aug. 31, 2026
Kazakhstan is in talks with China for the purchase of K-8W combat jet trainers and transport aircraft.
The country’s Kazspecexport agency confirmed that it discussed with China’s state-owned CATIC export body the delivery of these aircraft for the Kazakh Air Defense Forces at a meeting on Aug. 11-13. The parties agreed on the schedule for the technical acceptance of the aircraft, as well as the timeframe for conducting familiarization flights for the crews, Kazspecexport reported in a statement on Aug. 27.
The agency later removed this press release from its website. The photos attached to the press release showed a presentation regarding the purchase of the trainers.
The K-8 was developed in the 1990s as an advanced jet trainer and light ground-support aircraft and is manufactured by Hongdu Aviation Industry Corp. K-8s in various modifications are operated by the People's Liberation Army Air Force and some foreign customers.
The K-8W version has an improved cockpit and HUD. This variant was delivered to Bangladesh, Myanmar and Venezuela.
Like the latter two countries, Kazakhstan is likely to use the K-8 to train pilots for its Russian-made Su-30 heavy fighters. The Chinese aircraft are expected to replace aging Czech-made L-39 jet trainers.
It is not clear which transport aircraft CATIC was negotiating over with Kazakhstan. But the country’s National Guard under the Ministry of Interior already operates six Xi'an Y-8F-200WА turboprop transports. The Kazakh Air Defense Forces fly Airbus A400 and C295 aircraft, but still keep some Soviet-era Antonov An-12 and An-26 turboprops in their fleet.
According to Ruslan Pukhov, director of Moscow-based defense think tank CAST, Astana's procurement of Chinese weapons is above all a political gesture reflecting Beijing's growing influence in Central Asia. Furthermore, Beijing is likely to offer attractive financing terms at a time when Astana faces tighter budget constraints than when it previously acquired Russian fighters.
Source: aviationweek