By the way, as it seems, our initial theory all Y-20Bs might be refuelling-capable and as such are a MRTT of some sort seems to have been not correct! At least yet as it seems even if this one has the markings on the wings.
China's transport, tanker & heavy lift aircraft - esp. Y-20/YY-20
- Thread starter Totoro
- Start date
Okay, Deino I'm going to elaborate on my reply from twitter, because I think you misunderstood what a MRTT is.
After this, I think you should probably delete or rectify your tweet because it is simply illogical/incorrect.
So, the theory/highly suggested rumour is that "all Y-20Bs as standard, are MRTTs aka capable of doing air refuelling via wing refuelling pods".
What you are writing here, seems to suggest that you believe the Y-20B airframe in the picture lacks refuelling pods, therefore Y-20Bs as standard are not refuelling capable/not MRTTs.
But that is entirely illogical -- the whole purpose of being refuelling capable and being a MRTT is that an aircraft like Y-20B will only install the air refuelling pods on its wings when it is doing an air refuelling sortie!
There is absolutely no reason to carry air refuelling pods on its wings if it is operating as a transport! If anything, having wing refuelling pods during a transport sortie would be stupid because all it does is generate additional drag on the airframe.
I.e.: the air refuelling pods are only installed onto a given Y-20B airframe if they want the Y-20B airframe in question to do a tanker/air refuelling sortie.
Furthermore, I would say based on these pictures you posted, it just further reconfirms that we should expect all Y-20Bs to be MRTT/air refuelling capable as standard --- because if Y-20B was not a MRTT/air refuelling as standard, then we wouldn't see those air refuelling formation on the ventral sides of its wings.
.... all of which is to say -- our initial theory/rumour that all Y-20Bs might be refuelling-capable and as such are a MRTT of some sort remains very much correct/supported by evidence (or at least, yet to be disproven by evidence).
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Some similar examples to Y-20B being a MRTT, is the A400M and the KC-390. Both A400M and KC-390 are similar transport aircraft that can operate as tankers, through use of air refuelling pods (A400M also has a fuselage station).
A400M with air refuelling wing pods:
KC-390 with air refuelling wing pods:
However, typically those air refuelling pods are only installed on the airframes if they are doing an actual air refuelling mission. If they're not doing a tanker mission and are just doing a transport mission/sortie, then they fly without the wing pods:
Hmm? Maybe I misunderstood your reply, but it seems, as if I posted something that caused some anger!
I'm well aware, that this one is most likely - due to the stripes - a standard MRTT Y-20B, but I'm surprised it does not carry the IFR-pods yet. Maybe I'm wrong, but AFAIK the MRTT A400M do carry the pods standard-wise and so do the KC-390 MRTTs; but not all are MRTTs.
But maybe I'm wrong!
I'm well aware, that this one is most likely - due to the stripes - a standard MRTT Y-20B, but I'm surprised it does not carry the IFR-pods yet. Maybe I'm wrong, but AFAIK the MRTT A400M do carry the pods standard-wise and so do the KC-390 MRTTs; but not all are MRTTs.
But maybe I'm wrong!
I don’t think @Blitzo is angry. I think that he wants you to retract the tweet because it is a bad take and might damage credibility…
I'm not angry, I'm just very confused by your post, and I think you've unintentionally generated some confusion among others.
Deino, not all MRTTs carry IFR pods as standard. If a A400M or KC-390 is carrying out a transport mission, the IFR pods are typically removed.
IFR pods for MRTTs are only installed if the MRTT wants to perform the tanker mission!
If a MRTT carries IFR pods during a non-tanker mission (e.g.: a transport mission), all it does is generate drag and decrease fuel efficiency for the aircraft.
In other words -- an aircraft type being a MRTT has NOTHING to do with whether it has IFR pods installed at any given point in time.
Instead, an aircraft type being a MRTT is dependent on whether it has the internal plumbing to carry out the refuelling mission IF it installs IFR pods.
Probably easier to do it for Y-20 than it is for a fighter aircraft. From a physical standpoint you are just swapping out whole nacelles instead of having to modify the inlet.
Actually I don't know. It is surely a reasonable change even if probably not just a simple engine swap since the pylons are different.
On the other side I would be interested, if the Y-20As indeed are using WS-18 engines since thsi was (AFAIK) never confirmed.
as per my own analysis.
once existing engines complete its life cycle they will replace it with the new ones. and the obvious choice will be WS-20.. a better machine in every single category as compare to older engines.