Calepin des entreprises international 2026 VA.pdf — page 28

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Business trends
	
 AVIC, which includes Chengdu, Shenyang, Guizhou, Hongdu, Xi’an and Shaanxi aircraft manufacturers, 
as well as Harbin and Changhe helicopter manufacturers, recorded revenues of $81.3 billion (€75.1 billion) 
in 2024, down 2.6% year-on-year in US dollars. Over the year, the group delivered nearly 100 Chengdu 
fifth-generation J-20 fighter aircraft to the Chinese Air Force, bringing the number of these aircraft in service 
to more than 250.
	
 AVIC has been an Airbus partner since 1985 on several programmes, including the assembly of the A320 
passenger aircraft in China and the local production under licence of the AC352 (H175) civil helicopter and the 
Z-9 (AS365 Dauphin) military helicopter. Moreover, some of AVIC’s military aircraft (J-16, J-15 and JL-10) are 
derived from platforms designed by Russian group United Aircraft Corporation (UAC).
	
 The group has also set up several joint ventures, both with foreign players such as Textron (Cessna-AVIC 
Aircraft, sales and maintenance of business jets) and with Chinese players through the COMAC joint venture 
to produce the short-haul C909 and medium-haul C919 aircraft, powered by CFM International’s LEAP-1C 
engine (GE Aerospace/Safran), and to develop the C929 and C939 long-haul aircraft.
Home market
	
 AVIC generates a large part of its turnover on its domestic market. As the leading company in the Chinese 
aeronautics sector, the group is directly or indirectly involved in most of the country’s military aircraft 
programmes.	
	
 Two modernised versions of the Shenyang J-15 carrier-based fighter aircraft entered service with the 
Chinese Navy in October 2024: the single-seat J-15T, equipped with a catapult launch capability (CATOBAR), 
and the two-seat J-15D, dedicated to electronic warfare.
	
 Xi’an is developing the future H-20 stealth strategic bomber. Flight tests reportedly began in late 2024 and the 
aircraft is expected to enter service in the 2030s.
	
 The group aims to deliver 120 Chengdu J-20 fighter aircraft to the Chinese Air Force in 2025 and 2026.
Export markets
	
 The group generates about 20% of its turnover form exports. Africa, the Middle East and Eastern European 
countries are AVIC’s main target markets.
	
 AVIC  delivered several aircraft to export customers in 2024: an unspecified number of Chengdu J-10C fighter 
aircraft to the Pakistan Air Force and six Guizhou FTC-2000G trainer/light attack aircraft to the Myanmar Air 
Force in August, and two Shaanxi Y-9 transport aircraft to Namibia in December.
	
 In June 2025, Pakistan Aeronautical Complex signed a $4.6 billion (€4.3 billion) contract to supply 40 JF-17 
Block 3 fighter aircraft to Azerbaijan. Chengdu is an aerostructures supplier for the aircraft, representing 
approximately 42% of the airframe, with final assembly being carried out in Pakistan.
	
 The Changhe Z-10ME attack helicopter entered service with the Pakistan Army in August 2025. This helicopter 
was ordered in 2023, following the United States’ ban on Turkey selling Pakistan the T129 ATAK helicopter 
(Turkish Aerospace), powered by an American turboshaft engine.
Technology and Innovation
	
 Two of the group’s (potentially) sixth-generation fighter aircraft underwent flight testing in December 2024: the 
Chengdu J-36, a multirole trijet (air superiority, attack fighter, interception and C2) with double delta wings, and 
the Shenyang J-50, a twin-jet with lambda wings.
	
 In December 2024, Xi’an also conducted flight tests on a detection aircraft called the KJ-3000, whose airframe 
is based on the Y-20B strategic transport aircraft.
STRATEGIC HIGHLIGHTS
AVIATION INDUSTRY CORPORATION OF CHINA (AVIC)