Ivchenko AI-25
| Industry | Aerospace |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1965 |
| Headquarters | Soviet Union (now Ukraine) |
| Products | AI-25 turbofan engine series |
| Parent | Motor Sich (current manufacturer) |
The Ivchenko AI-25 (Russian: Ивченко АИ-25) represents a series of medium bypass twin-shaft Turbofan engines created by the Soviet Union’s Ivchenko OKB. It holds the distinction of being the inaugural bypass engine employed on short-haul aircraft within the USSR. Production continues today under the Ukrainian aerospace manufacturer, Motor Sich.
Development
Originally conceived to power the tri-jet Yakovlev Yak-40, often recognized as the first regional jet airliner, the AI-25 also served as the foundation for the Lotarev DV-2 turbofan. Initiated in 1965, the AI-25 underwent its maiden test flight in 1966 and received production approval by 1967. In 1972, this engine was chosen to power the Polish PZL M-15 Belphegor, notable as the only jet-powered biplane globally.
The AI-25’s evolution led to the enhanced AI-25TL variant, tailored for the Czechoslovak military trainer aircraft, the Aero L-39 Albatros, which first flew in 1968. The L-39 became one of the most widely produced and utilized trainer jets worldwide, with over 3,000 units built and approximately 2,900 still operational. A downsized version of this model, designated AI-25TLK, powers China’s Hongdu L-11 fighter-trainer.
In China, the AI-25TLK is manufactured under license as the WS-11. Another derivative, the AI-25TLSh, was flight-tested by Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense in 2002 after development during the 1990s. Ivchenko-Progress currently offers the AI-25TLSh as an upgrade package for existing L-39 and JL-8 fleets to enhance aircraft longevity and performance. The latest iteration, known as the AI-25TL Series 2, is designed specifically for use in the Mikoyan MiG-AT trainer.
Responding to Turkey’s requirement for a more powerful turbofan engine for its jet-powered Bayraktar MIUS UAV, Ivchenko developed an upgraded version named AI-25TLT.
Integration in FP-5 Flamingo Missile
The Ukrainian enterprise Fire Point acquired a substantial quantity of Ivchenko AI-25 engines sourced from diverse reserves, including landfills and scrap yards, to power the FP-5 Flamingo cruise missile. These engines possessed approximately 10 hours of remaining operational flight time. Since these units are not intended for use in manned jet aircraft, Fire Point refurbishes them only to the extent necessary to support the Flamingo missile’s typical flight duration of around three and a half hours. Earlier reports attributed the manufacturing of these engines to Motor Sich, but Fire Point asserts that they discovered "thousands of such engines" scattered across multiple landfill sites within Ukraine. To minimize expenses, titanium components have been substituted with more cost-effective and easier-to-produce materials while ensuring the engines remain functional for flight. Approximately six thousand AI-25 engines were produced and continue to operate in aircraft such as the L-39 Albatross and Hongdu JL-8 jet trainers across "post-Soviet states, Asia, and Africa." Additionally, Fire Point has launched its own manufacturing facility dedicated to producing engines for missile applications; however, it remains uncertain whether this includes licensed production of the Ivchenko AI-25.[1][2]
Variants
- AI-25
- AI-25A
- AI-25TL
- AI-25TL series 2
- AI-25TLT
- (Black Sea Shield - turbofan) Manufactured under license by the Turkish-Ukrainian joint venture BSS located in Istanbul for use in the Bayraktar MIUS[3]
- AI-25TLK
- AI-25TLSh
- AI-25W
- AI-25WM
- WS-11
- (WoShan - turbofan) The AI-25TLK produced under license in China for the Hongdu L-11
- Walter Titan
- (AI-25WM)[4]
- Walter Sirius
Applications
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Specifications (AI-25TL)
See also
References
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External links
- Ivchenko-Progress official website
- Motor-Sich official website Archived 2016-01-18 at the Wayback Machine
- A.Ivchenko Engines overview
- AI-25 details on LeteckeMotory.cz (cs, sk)
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