Shenyang J-5 - Operators

Operators

Albania

• Albanian Air Force — Shenyang J-5 jets were among the first Chinese military aid to Albania, but the Albanian Air Force's deployment against the Yugoslav air incursion was relatively unsuccessful due to its subsonic speed, and the aircraft were soon reassigned once Shenyang J-6s became available. Remaining J-5s may be in storage with the Albanian military.

Bangladesh

• Bangladeshi Air Force - All retired in 1980.

People's Republic of China

• People's Liberation Army Air Force - J-5 Retired since 1992. JJ-5 remain in service.
• People's Liberation Army Naval Air Force - J-5 Retired since 1992. JJ-5 remain in service.

North Korea

• North Korean Air Force - As of February 2012, 100× F-5 with another 135× FT-5 trainers remain in service. However, reports of dire levels of serviceability suggest an airworthiness rate of less than 50%.

Pakistan

• Pakistan Air Force — Retired 5 January 2012. PAF's No. 1 Fighter Conversion Unit (FCU) operated 25+ FT-5 trainers from 1975 to 2012, replaced in service by Pakistani-built K-8P Karakorum.

Sri Lanka

• Sri Lankan Air Force — J-5s were used as jet familiarisation trainers for Sri Lankan Air Force pilots.

Sudan

• Sudanese Air Force — The Sudanese Air Force J-5s have been used for ground attack missions against rebels with limited air defences. Both MiG-17s and J-5s fly with the Sudanese Air Force.

Somalia

• Somali Air Corps — like most aircraft in the Somali Air Corps inventory, the majority of the J-5s were lost during the Ogaden War, in which more than 75% of the Somali Air Force was decimated by the Cuban supported Ethiopian Air Force.

Tanzania

• Tanzanian Air Force — The Tanzanian Air Force used J-5s for ground attack missions during the Uganda-Tanzania War. Still in service.

United States

• United States Air Force — In the 1980s, the United States purchased a number of J-5 aircraft, along with J-2 aircraft from China via the Combat Core Certification Professionals Company. These aircraft were employed in a "mobile threat test" program at Kirtland Air Force Base, operated by 4477th "Red Hats" Test and Evaluation Squadron of the United States Air Force, and are now believed to be in storage.

Vietnam

• Vietnamese Air Force — The Vietnamese Air Force used J-5s alongside the Soviet supplied MiG-17s for interception missions until the 1990s when they were retired, along with the remaining MiG-19s, being replaced with newer MiG-21s and Su-27s.

Zimbabwe

• Air Force of Zimbabwe — The J-5s in the Zimbabwe Air Force were first piloted by Pakistani pilots. JJ-5s are still in service as intermediate trainers.