Rumoured Projects & Likelihood Thereof

[Blitzo]

I'd update the PLANMC VTOL jet to a 4 at least at this point. It's clear to us all that they're building or have already built a full-scale prototype VTOL engine at least.

I very much would not rate it that highly.

Specifically, we do not know how intent the PLA is actually on procuring such an aircraft, versus funding it for the purposes of having the industry experience/technological reserve.

That, along with the amount of time it will take for such an aircraft to likely emerge as a flyable prototype to begin with, should give it a commensurately low to moderate rating.

 

[00CuriousObserver]

SOYO vaguepost (essentially what was talked about in previous pages)

？？？
Yes, I’m being cryptic again, but you can actually guess the answer from the picture.

 

[ACuriousPLAFan]

SOYO vaguepost (essentially what was talked about in previous pages)

The aircraft in the photo is a Boeing 757/C-32.

Looks like the twinjet common platform for special mission aircraft (not sure whether it is the same project as the CXF) could be closer to reality than we thought?

It'd be interesting to see what model of turbofan engine is used to power this aircraft for sure...

 

[00CuriousObserver]

The photo is a Boeing 757.

Looks like the twinjet common platform for special mission aircraft (not sure if being the same project as CXF) could be closer to reality than we thought?

It'd be interesting to see what model of turbofan engine is used to power this aircraft for sure...

They were talking about the engine used for Sino C-5

But I feel like it should be closer to 150 ton class than 120 ton class? We'll see I suppose

 

[Maikeru]

The aircraft in the photo is a Boeing 757/C-32.

Looks like the twinjet common platform for special mission aircraft (not sure whether it is the same project as the CXF) could be closer to reality than we thought?

It'd be interesting to see what model of turbofan engine is used to power this aircraft for sure...

Why not WS-20? In service already with existing logistics and training. For military use squeezing the last % of efficiency from an engine isn't nearly as important as it is for commercial airlines.

 

[Blitzo]

Why not WS-20? In service already with existing logistics and training. For military use squeezing the last % of efficiency from an engine isn't nearly as important as it is for commercial airlines.

It all depends on what the specific weight class of the aircraft is.

For a 737 class aircraft (80t mtow), certainly WS-20 could be viable.

But if you're looking at a 120t or even 150t mtow aircraft, you'll need correspondingly more capable engines.

 

[00CuriousObserver]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/2056300903502942337

So 25 ton class engines maybe..

 

[sunnymaxi]

The aircraft in the photo is a Boeing 757/C-32.

Looks like the twinjet common platform for special mission aircraft (not sure whether it is the same project as the CXF) could be closer to reality than we thought?

It'd be interesting to see what model of turbofan engine is used to power this aircraft for sure...

Well the rumor is, XAC is building 120-140 tons category general purpose Aircraft with two 25 tons class Engines.

 

[Blitzo]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/2056300903502942337

So 25 ton class engines maybe..

I feel like a twin engine airframe by definition isn't really worthy of being compared to Boeing 707 given the 707 airframe (or rather its still-in-service military variants of it) is notorious for being four-engined when most special mission aircraft tend to be twin engined based on commercial airline airframes.

Depending on the MTOW and size of this aircraft, an evolved, enlarged version of it (or even a direct adaptation of it) might well be able to become a more viable next generation tanker for the PLA ala KC-46/KC-767 class.
(KC-767 powered by two CF6-80C2s after all)

 

[ACuriousPLAFan]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/2056300903502942337

So 25 ton class engines maybe..

Well the rumor is, XAC is building 120-140 tons category general purpose Aircraft with two 25 tons class Engines.

I feel like a twin engine airframe by definition isn't really worthy of being compared to Boeing 707 given the 707 airframe (or rather its still-in-service military variants of it) is notorious for being four-engined when most special mission aircraft tend to be twin engined based on commercial airline airframes.

Depending on the MTOW and size of this aircraft, an evolved, enlarged version of it (or even a direct adaptation of it) might well be able to become a more viable next generation tanker for the PLA ala KC-46/KC-767 class.
(KC-767 powered by two CF6-80C2s after all)

As of present, there are the E-767 AEW&C aircraft and the KC-46/KC-767 tanker aircraft, both of which are based on the Boeing 767 family airframe.

On the other hand, it'd be very interesting to see what the next generation of ELINT/SIGINT, EW/ECM/ESM, and MPA/ASW aircraft using airframes of a similar MTOW category as the 767 family (~140-160 tons) would be like (and how they would perform, relative to their Western counterparts).