China Delivers Y-8F Aircraft — Copies of Soviet An-12s — to Kazakhstan’s National Guard

The Chinese company Shaanxi has delivered three Y-8F-200W military transport aircraft to the National Guard of Kazakhstan, expanding its fleet of the Soviet-designed An-12 derivative to six.

Images of the new aircraft were published on the Jet Photos website.

The aircraft carry tail numbers 04, 05, and 06. Kazakhstan is expected to receive two more Y-8Fs under the existing agreement, bringing the total number to eight.

The delivery marks one of the first cases of serial import of Chinese military transport aircraft to Kazakhstan’s security services, which have historically relied on Soviet-era platforms.

The supply contract with Shaanxi, signed in 2018, provides for the delivery of eight aircraft. The first Y-8F-200WA arrived in Kazakhstan in September 2018, following its maiden flight in June of that year. It flew from Yulin Airport in Chengdu, stopped in Urumqi, and reached Astana on September 26.

The second aircraft, tail number 02, arrived in December 2023, followed by number 03 in April 2024.

Despite increasing Chinese deliveries, Kazakhstan continues to rely on Ukrainian support for its remaining fleet of Antonov An-74s. In October 2021, Ukraine’s state-owned 410 Civil Aviation Plant completed repairs on an An-74TK-200 and transferred it to the National Guard.

Separately, Kazakhstan’s Air Force took delivery of its first Airbus A400M military transport aircraft in December 2024. A second unit is expected to be available in 2026.

As part of a broader cooperation with Airbus, the two sides signed a memorandum of understanding covering maintenance and overhaul. The agreement includes plans to establish a local service center for C295 aircraft, which are also in service in Kazakhstan.

In April 2024, Militarnyi reported that Airbus Defence was finalizing preparation of the first A400M aircraft for Kazakhstan.