2024 Zhuhai Airshow main thread, Air Systems

sunnymaxi

Major
Registered Member
Never heard of it. It is claimed the initial J-20s used a Salyut AL-31FM2 engine. Salyut had a competitor to the Saturn AL-41 engine for the PAK FA project. Dubbed AL-31FM3. Lost the competition to Saturn. Maybe this is the so called 177S?
hmmm..

UEC head victor said, we are working on next generation Engine with the core of AL-31/AL-41 in close collaboration with Russian academy of science. will be same as AL-31/AL-41 in dimension. but first we must solve 3D printed/additive manufacturing and laser tech in order to achieve our goals.

service life will improve to 6000 hours.

Note- he is not talking about AL-51.. this will be new 5th gen engine derived from AL-31/AL-41.
 

sunnymaxi

Major
Registered Member
PLAAF very certainly will consider new, better replacement engines - if only for the AL-31 birds already in service, as WS-10 is not compatible and requires significant changes to the aircraft. There are still hundreds of such aircraft in Chinese service, and they will be in service till 2040s.

PLAAF/PLANAF may not pick them, but they'll most certainly take them into account, and this is by no means a proposal without merit.
Relationship between countries is also a factor here.

Mix between AL-51F and AL-31F with specs very close to the former, but fitting into al-31 nacelle without changes.
doesn't make sense and not true. in fact PLAAF moving from Russian engines. older PLAAF aircrafts will switch to WS-10 once Russian engine died out. many old J-11/J-10A have already switched to WS-10.

J-20 powered by AL-31F engines are less than 50.

it will be nightmare logistically for PLAAF if they start using newer hybrid Russian engine.

one more point, J-35A now finalized for PLAAF. it means older J-10/J-11 will be replaced.. no need for new engines or even WS-10..

Future PLAAF fleet - J-20/J-35/J-16 and J-10C. all these aircrafts already have domestic powerplants..

******************************************************************************
i m being honest here, the chapter has been closed. though nobody knows what tomorrow will bring but the current sentiments in PLAAF is, to rely on domestic engines now.
 
Last edited:

by78

General
AVIC display booth.

54129399936_6b334e8021_k.jpg
 

F=XX Corsair

New Member
Registered Member
doesn't make sense and not true. in fact PLAAF moving from Russian engines. older PLAAF aircrafts will switch to WS-10 once Russian engine died out. many old J-11/J-10A have already switched to WS-10.

J-20 powered by AL-31F engines are less than 50.

it will be nightmare logistically for PLAAF if they start using newer hybrid Russian engine.

one more point, J-35A now finalized for PLAAF. it means older J-10/J-11 will be replaced.. no need for new engines or even WS-10..

Future PLAAF fleet - J-20/J-35/J-16 and J-10C. all these aircrafts already have domestic powerplants..

******************************************************************************
i m being honest here, the chapter has been closed. though nobody knows what tomorrow will bring but the current sentiments in PLAAF is, to rely on domestic engines now.
Jumping on the chance of speaking about AL-31 & WS-10...

Are the WS-10 engines compatible with the SU-30SM/MKI airframes ?
Will it require a big overhaul in the airframe that makes it rather non-viable ?
 

Deino

Lieutenant General
Staff member
Super Moderator
Registered Member
doesn't make sense and not true. in fact PLAAF moving from Russian engines. older PLAAF aircrafts will switch to WS-10 once Russian engine died out. many old J-11/J-10A have already switched to WS-10.

J-20 powered by AL-31F engines are less than 50.

it will be nightmare logistically for PLAAF if they start using newer hybrid Russian engine.

one more point, J-35A now finalized for PLAAF. it means older J-10/J-11 will be replaced.. no need for new engines or even WS-10..

Future PLAAF fleet - J-20/J-35/J-16 and J-10C. all these aircrafts already have domestic powerplants..

******************************************************************************
i m being honest here, the chapter has been closed. though nobody knows what tomorrow will bring but the current sentiments in PLAAF is, to rely on domestic engines now.


Overall I agree with you, but this wrong: "many old J-11/J-10A have already switched to WS-10." None so far switched.

We haven't seen yet any operational J-11/-11A or J-10A with a WS-10 and AFAIK the final batches of J-10AS were directly built with them.
 
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