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

Deino

Deino

Lieutenant General
Staff member
Super Moderator
Registered Member
Latest rumour - that would nicely fit IMO - concerning the aircraft build so far ... but maybe anyone can help me out:

According to yet unconfirmed sources, the four so far sighted machines in PLAAF grey are three machines from the first LRIP-block as well as the last - already corresponding to LRIP-standard - prototype '789'.

Thus, there are the following machines so far confirmed:

781, 783, 785, 788, 789 (is reportedly one of the two shown in Zhuhai) + 3 LRIP = 8 Y-20 since its maiden flight in January 2013.

I've seen nothing of the also reported 786 + 787 at least so far!

Deino
 
K

kroko

Senior Member
Bltizo said:
Russia is exporting the Il-76MF/MD-90/476 equipped with the more powerful and more efficient PS-90A engines. The Il-76 is still an old design yes, but the new modernized Il-76 variants that I described are quite a bit more competitive, especially with their more powerful engines.

Compared to Y-20, if Y-20 is only using D-30 engines the modern Il-76 variants will likely be a more attractive buy.


As for why Russia would not allow China to export aircraft with their engines -- in this case I think it is more because they know China itself is also dependent on their engines and both Russia and China's airlifters (Il-76 variants and Y-20) will be competing for the same markets abroad, and Russia's economy is quite a bit more dependent on these sort of military exports than China's. So I wouldn't be surprised if they've come to a tacit agreement that China would not sell Y-20s abroad until China has a domestic engine ready.
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Yes, the IL-476 is an updated version of the IL-76, but its still a 45-year old design. AFAIK no nation has order it or show interest in it, not even india. Again, little to gain and a lot to lose (financially and politically) by not allowing china to export those engines or even witholding them.

Besides, nowadays the market for large military tranport planes is small. Few nations that have the need and means to buy them desire russian/chinese planes.
 
Lethe

Lethe

Captain
kroko said:
What is this plane? is this a civilian stretched version of Y-20 with WS-20 engines? why present it as civilian? does it make sense to be primarly a military plane?
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More likely a civilian freighter version with western engines.

As China's first and only large aircraft, I expect we will see it shoehorned into all sorts of roles over the next 10-15yrs, like Y-8 in the present...
 
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