China's transport, tanker & heavy lift aircraft

tphuang said:

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1591213520485777409

Now that we are finally getting to mass production of Y-20B with WS-20 engine (reported going into service next year), I wonder if this is when production for transport and refueling variants really take off. I remember listening to an interview from Zhuhai 2018, where the person being interviewed by Shilao crew said that they need 10x the number of IL-76 order that they put through in 2005. That would put requirement at 300 to 400. Clearly, that hasn't happened yet. So, I feel like Y-20 production is a little bit like J-20. The initial batch in Russian engines is suboptimal. As such, they didn't produce it at as high of a level as they could. Now that they have the engine that they want for Y-20, I wonder if we will see a huge ramp up here at XAC. Has their factory space expanded? Maybe something like 40 a year eventually. That's the level they would need if they want 200 Y-20 and 200 YY-20.

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The Xi'an AVIC factory had indeed acquired a piece of land that was previously a farm. The latest Google Earth images is dated March 2022, showing a new perimeter wall, and also a part of old wall was demolished to make a new opening gateway into the newly acquired land.

It will be helpful if we can get latest image, to confirm if a new construction has began.

tphuang said:

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1591213520485777409

Now that we are finally getting to mass production of Y-20B with WS-20 engine (reported going into service next year), I wonder if this is when production for transport and refueling variants really take off. I remember listening to an interview from Zhuhai 2018, where the person being interviewed by Shilao crew said that they need 10x the number of IL-76 order that they put through in 2005. That would put requirement at 300 to 400. Clearly, that hasn't happened yet. So, I feel like Y-20 production is a little bit like J-20. The initial batch in Russian engines is suboptimal. As such, they didn't produce it at as high of a level as they could. Now that they have the engine that they want for Y-20, I wonder if we will see a huge ramp up here at XAC. Has their factory space expanded? Maybe something like 40 a year eventually. That's the level they would need if they want 200 Y-20 and 200 YY-20.

Click to expand...

XAC better expand their factory spaces and production capacity quickly and massively.

XAC won't be just responsible for the Y-20s and YY-20s. They are responsible for the H-20s as well, which would arrive within the next few years.

Construction numbers for a Y-20 (top) and a YY-20 tanker (bottom). It appears the tanker's construction numbers start from 1000 or 1001 and go up.

A few more images of YY-20 tanker.

So looks like 60 between y20 and yy20 this far. All the il78 got converted back to il76. Next year, we should see y20b. I assume that's when production will get ramped up.

Four more.

One more...

Are they using the Y-20s for transporting Xi Jinping's limousines, whenever he travels outside of China?

henrik said:

Are they using the Y-20s for transporting Xi Jinping's limousines, whenever he travels outside of China?

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Maybe in the future.
As everybody should know when the President of the United States of America visits a foreign state. Before Air Force one and the red carpet a squadron of C17s loaded with armor black Chevrolet Suburbans, armored Black custom Vans with satellite dishes, Armored Black hazmat pickup trucks and Armored black custom Cadillac Escalade turned limousine sedans.


As well as VH60 Whitehawk helicopters, VV22 Osprey land in country. It’s a small invasion force of VIP protection and communications. The aviation side is favored as the Secret service views that trips longer than 30 miles on the road are a high risk.


When the Russian President shows up… well it’s smaller. And if it’s a trip to the US it doesn’t happen. But basically IL76 transports fly the Aurus Senate limousine in and have it and a smaller package of armored SUVs and Armored Vans that come with it. On occasion an Mi8 series chopper may also be flown in but this is rare for them, Putin has made it a more regular use to fly from his Private Villa to the Kremlin offices primarily as his motorcade screws up Moscow traffic.

Xi, When the General Secretary of the CCP travels it’s closer to The way the Russians do it than the American. So much smaller. Often in fact they don’t even bring their own vehicles but will use vehicles made available by the host nation. This isn’t actually unique most of the Worlds leadership on State visits used Chaffered vehicles driven and supplied by the Host nations. Only a few VVIP are select enough or in such a specialized occasion when they will bring in a vehicle of their own. Xi has dependent upon trip and relations between China and the Host nation he was visiting gone back and forth between the two models. Some places he rides in a host nation’s Limousines others he brings his own.
When Xi does bring his own it’s such a small size of group that frankly Y20 isn’t needed. A 747-8i can haul up to 8 cars in its cargo hold. Xi’s motorcades are often 4-6 cars. Air China Cargo has Freighters that can haul dozens of cars. it might take a little longer to unload and reload but it’s no big deal. Yes a Y20
Could do it but, If you want to really exploit the capabilities of Y20 then that would mean a CCP General Secretary who wants to put on a show.