China's transport, tanker & heavy lift aircraft - esp. Y-20/YY-20

[ACuriousPLAFan]

Comparison between Y-30 (top) and A400M (bottom):

- Y-30 looks to be smaller than A400M
- Y-30's engines look to have 6 propeller blades, whereas the engines on the A400M has 8 propeller blades
- Y-30 has straighter wings compared to the A400M's slightly swept wings
- Y-30 has two landing gears per set for its main undercarriage compared to the A400M's three per set
- Y-30 has winglets, which is absent on the A400M

 

[Syrida2887]

Comparison between Y-30 (top) and A400M (bottom):

- Y-30 looks to be smaller than A400M
- Y-30's engines look to have 6 propeller blades
- Y-30 has straighter wings compared to the A400M's slightly swept wings
- Y-30 has two landing gears per set for its main undercarriage compared to the A400M's three per set

View attachment 166313

Still WJ-6G（orC）,and according to someone,Its load should be 30-35 tons (10tons more than Y-8/Y-9)

 

[Kejora]

Comparison between Y-30 (top) and A400M (bottom):

- Y-30 looks to be smaller than A400M
- Y-30's engines look to have 6 propeller blades
- Y-30 has straighter wings compared to the A400M's slightly swept wings
- Y-30 has two landing gears per set for its main undercarriage compared to the A400M's three per set

View attachment 166313

Although the airframe resembles A400M I think this thing is closer in size and performance to C-130J.

 

[Alfa_Particle]

Comparison between Y-30 (top) and A400M (bottom):

- Y-30 looks to be smaller than A400M
- Y-30's engines look to have 6 propeller blades
- Y-30 has straighter wings compared to the A400M's slightly swept wings
- Y-30 has two landing gears per set for its main undercarriage compared to the A400M's three per set

View attachment 166313

...winglets?

 

[BoraTas]

I will brag a little bit. It is exactly like what I expected. It is 4 turboprop, and is slightly heavier and faster than the Y-9.

The reason why I expected this is here. It is a long post.

Chinese Engine Development

Just to add on - The paper is co-authored by the chief designer of WZ-9, Academician Yin Zeyong of the Chinese Academy of Engineering. In particular, this paragraph from the paper: So to put it simply, the following aircrafts are to be powered by their respective engines: C919 -...

www.sinodefenceforum.com

 

[Tomboy]

Winglet!

 

[Blitzo]

Although the airframe resembles A400M I think this thing is closer in size and performance to C-130J.

Which is what he wrote (smaller than A400M), and also what we've somewhat expected.

A400M is in an add spot for being an airlifter between C-130J and C-17 in size; a tactical-strategic transporter in nature.

Y-20 otoh firmly gives the PLA a genuine strategic transporter of the Il-76/C-17 esque class, so they don't need to faff about with something in between... but they also want something a bit bigger with better payload than a C-130J or Y-9 while being a bit better optimized particularly in fuselage diameter and flight characteristics.

I suspect this aircraft will end up being around KC-390 in terms of payload -- a good 7-8t more than a C-130J or Y-9, but also a good 7-8t below that of A400M. Of course, unlike KC-390, Y-30 is a four engine turboprop with the requisite advantages/disadvantages.

 

[ACuriousPLAFan]

AI-enhanced shot of the Y-30, posted by @OedoSoldier on Weibo.

 

[Tomboy]

Also, nacelle seems more akin to MA700 instead of Y-9.

 

[Blitzo]

AI-enhanced shot of the Y-30, posted by @OedoSoldier on Weibo.

View attachment 166315

I doubt the nose probe is actually an IFR probe (which the AI enhancement has "visualized" it as); I suspect it's just an air data probe based on its geometry.