The Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) airborne troops recently took delivery of new Y-12 transport aircraft.

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Harbin Y-12 (Picture source: chinamil.com)

The Harbin Y-12 is a high wing twin-engine turboprop utility aircraft built by the Chinese manufacturing company Harbin Aircraft Industry Group (HAIG).

Y12F is a new-generation multi-purpose turbo-prop transport aircraft designed and manufactured by AVIC HAIG. Based on the advantages of Y12 series aircraft, Y12F has been improved in the flight comfort, platform performance, reliability and maintainability. This model features high safety, high reliability and low cost. Y12F aircraft, a nonpressurized high-wing monoplane, adopts normal arrangement of single vertical tail and low horizontal tail, and retractable tricycle landing gears. This aircraft is designed with glass cockpit and double-pilot system. The maximum passenger capacity is 19; the maximum payload is 3 tons. Cargo bay can load 3 LD3 containers.

By corresponding retrofit, Y12F model is capable of conducting a wide range of missions, such as VIP transport, maritime surveillance, and aerial photography operations.

For the PLA airborne troops, the Y-12 will be used to replace its older counterpart, the Y-5, and will be used mainly in basic training missions for paratroopers