Hyperwarp
Captain
Maybe the next interation of the J-20 will allow boom refueling?
China's transport, tanker & heavy lift aircraft
- Thread starter Totoro
- Start date
Maybe the next interation of the J-20 will allow boom refueling?
Well this air refuelling probe on the KJ-500 doesn't seem to have been trialled on a dedicated testbed/prototype, but rather added onto a new serial KJ-500 as is.
To me that would suggest a degree of maturity and readiness for the airframe to accept such a modification.
Add on the fact that the PLA are generally decent with their future proofing plans, and considering how "difficult" adding an air refuelling probe onto an aircraft is even if it wasn't designed from the outset to accommodate one.... I would be surprised if they weren't able to modify Y-9s (and also Y-20s) to accept an air refuelling probe once they needed it.
SinoSoldier
Colonel
Well, they could've tested a probe on a dedicated testbed and simply didn't photograph it. But agreed on the fact that most modern PLA platforms have at least some level of future-proofing and modularity integrated into them.
asif iqbal
Lieutenant General
KJ-500 with refuelling probe and Y-20 refuelling platform
Looks like PLAAF is about to go big on aerial refuelling
Looks like PLAAF is about to go big on aerial refuelling
TerraN_EmpirE
Tyrant King
That's a pretty BIG maybe. With a question mark as to why bother?
The Flying Boom systems original reason for being was not the fighters it was the Nuclear bomber. General LeMay wanted a way to keep his bombers in the sky and ready to deliver Nuclear fury round the clock, pretty much simultaneously Probe and Drogue was developed by Chobham as an improvement over there previous looped hose system.
Because the Flying boom was the baby of General LeMay and Boeing and SAC was LeMay's other baby which basically the USAF was built around the USAF adopted flying boom as there standard.
It allowed Big B52s to keep on station and tank up faster.
By contrast J20 even a next Gen J20 wouldn't need a flying boom system. And why specialize the type just for J20? I mean theoretically other than 737's and smaller helicopter as well as Attack helicopters there isn't a Aircraft in PLA invantory that couldn't be fitted for Probe and Drogue. It's pretty much the universal from bombers to transports, Fighters to choppers.
And the Pods can even be mounted on smaller aircraft or the wings.
Again a boom can be modified to tank a probe and Drogue. Which is kinda where I expect this would end up. Because the PLA just doesn't seem to have any need for a flying boom system unless they are planning to tank Pakistani F16s.
IMO the benefit of a boom is primarily the faster rate of transfer of fuel over time.
There are certain mission profiles for certain aircraft, like stealth fighters, bombers, and strategic transports where such an attribute may be more attractive than using probe/drogue.
If the air force does adopt a boom capable air tanker I definitely do not expect every aircraft in their inventory to adopt the boom refuelling method. But there are some aircraft for some missions where boom refuelling may be worth the extra development and implementation cost.
TerraN_EmpirE
Tyrant King
I have to agree on that. It's also easier to use in really bad weather as a good strong wind is less likely to cause the boom to fly around all over the place. Yet cost benefits I think favors the Probe and Drogue for the PLA, As there known fleet already uses it and it can be used by a wider range of vehicle types. more Tanker for the buck as it were.
Yet all of these types have used Probe and Drogue just as well. F35B and C use Probe and Drogue, It's advantageous as you have the potential of having it on smaller tankers like Drones which are a smaller radar profile, unless you convert a Stealth bomber to tanker that is The British ( Historical V series ) and Russian Bombers as well as Existing PLA Bomber fleet uses it. Same for Strategic lifters. yes they need more time to tank in theory but one of the advantages of Probe and Drogue is that for larger tankers you can fuel 2-3 aircraft at once. Where there is only one on flying boom they have not yet figured out a way to mount more than one boom on a Tanker.
Prefect is the Enemy of good enough. It just seems that it would be a lot easier and more effective to focus on building up the established system IE Probe and Drogue and build up there tanker force with that.
I mean Advantages, A Y20 sized tanker could mount more than one line. 2 for sure 3 possibly, If can refuel just about anything with the probe from a tricked out Z20 to a Naval fighter so more mission types. And the system can be used by smaller tankers from J10's to future drones you have a system that can scale based on the mission and asset.
Of course I admit that a Boom can be modified to serve Probe and Drogue, the reverse is however not possible, but it seems to me that if they did add a boom to a Y20 Tanker it would likely never actually be used as a Boom.
PLAAF may soon be approaching a state where it is viable for them to seek procurement of systems that are closer to "perfect" rather than having to settle on something that is merely "good enough".
?
You realize of course, that any aircraft with a boom mounted on its central aft fuselage will also have the ability to mount probe/drogue refuelling pods on its wings? KC-46, A330 MRTT, even the ancient KC-135s, have centreline booms but also have one pod on each wing.
If a Y-20 is one day inducted with a boom for air refuelling I would be surprised if it lacks wing pods to allow it to also be capable of probe/drogue refuelling as well.
So it's not like inducting a tanker capable of boom refuelling means such an aircraft will be incapable of also having dedicated pods for probe/drogue air refuelling.
TerraN_EmpirE
Tyrant King
In responce Blitz,
I point out I have actually reiterated that very point, that a large tanker can have two Drogue lines and a boom. However if the PLA do not have anything using that boom then the boom is unnecessary weight and cost. Although a boom can be fitted with an adapter to fuel a Probe and Drogue system. It would be easier to just run a Drogue line from the fuselage.
That said one thing I really disagree with alot of people on is Y20 in my opinion has a good potential for export, and as tankers like the KC135, Older IL78 burn there last flight hours and other national militarys look to upgrade there potential So I restate there is potential for a boom export. Perhaps not on Y20 but with the rise of China's civil and military transport fleets there may come more options.