There are actually 11x Y-20Bs at Xi'an AC in that October 2024 satellite imagery, if the Y-20B still in green primer at the west side of the plant is counted (given the characteristics of the engines).
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China's transport, tanker & heavy lift aircraft
- Thread starter Totoro
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There are actually 11x Y-20Bs at Xi'an AC in that October 2024 satellite imagery, if the Y-20B still in green primer at the west side of the plant is counted (given the characteristics of the engines).
lcloo
Captain
Yes, the engines are same as that of Y20B, and it has rear end sponson shape of YY20, so very highly it is a YY20B.
I wonder if the white dot on the Y-20B is its air-to-air refueling port. Huitong has noted that the Y-20B has a light on its vertical stabilizer which might be used for night air-air refueling operations:
If so, the Y-20B uses a boom-type refueling system, similar to the C-17. In fact, it would be the first PLAAF platform to use the boom-type system.
At long last... I was really getting sick of seeing those old engines.
Sorry I'm bit slow here, how is a forward focus light (if it is a light) associated with refueling boom?
I think the idea is that the light helps to illuminate the receptacle on the aircraft's dorsal fuselage, assisting the tanker boom operator to guide the boom, in certain conditions.
Of course it's a far from conclusive argument, and there's many reasons why that light may exist as well as many ways to illuminate the receptacle and assist the boom operator to guide it.
The C-17 employs a floodlight installed on the vertical stabilizer of the aircraft to assist with air-to-air refueling in low-light conditions (below).
The Y-20B also happens to have this light on its tail, so it may point toward the possibility of it having a very similar fueling system to that of the C-17.
