China's V/STOL studies, concepts & considerations

sunnymaxi

Colonel
Registered Member
Searching some of these I can find scraps of information from a few months back pertaining to procurement from the PLA, AECC etc.
Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!
Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!
Shame I'm unable to get access to the actual docs due to a lack of a mainland phone number.
Nothing for the second, reverse engineering parts or anything pertaining to f135.

Captain posted about similar bidding back in June.
There is heavy research going on for STOVL platform include Engine and lift fan system.. different institutes working on it.. this F-135 reverse engineering info is specifically related with 606 institute aka Shenyang Liming Aero Engine. major contractor of PLAAF engines.

this is a small thread only 30 pages.. you will find plenty of information regarding STOVL platform like Engine and lift system from different institutes.. they have Patented their research as well.

as per the rumors, first prototype has assembled.
 

Tomboy

Senior Member
Registered Member
Hopefully, whatever they are making is far more advanced than the F-135 as it's a nearly 2-decade old engine at this point, US aeroengine has already moved on from that design. Replicating it now does not really scream technological superiority on the Chinese side. Are they going for a VCE like the XA101/100? IMO should almost be expected given it's going to enter service in the 2030s.
 

mack8

Senior Member
The document explicitly mentioned "inspection and reverse-engineering of critical parts/关键零件检测与逆向设计" and my interpretation on that is for physical, tangible parts.
How many F-35Bs crashed in the sea in the relative vicinity of China (so japanese, USMC?). Could China (as incredible as it may sound) have recovered one of these crashed F-35Bs?
 

Alfa_Particle

Senior Member
Registered Member
Here's a (potentially incomplete) list of the alleged similarities:
- number of bearing bars are the same in both VAVBN grates
- number of VIGVs are the same in both lift fans
- diameters of the lift fan casing are extremely close in both lift fans
- the air-cooled dry plate clutch designs are pretty much identical in both lift fans
- the driveshaft dimensions are pretty much identical in both lift fans
- fuel consumptions are extremely close in both turbofans
- the three-swivel bearing nozzles are "identical"
- the combined lift/thrust output of the engines are extremely close
- lengths of the roll-post ducts are almost identical
- compressor designs are pretty much identical in both engines
- lift-fan intake door designs are pretty much identical

... there's apparently more.


Improvements were implemented though:
- blade designs of the lift fan's first and second stages are different
- the lift fan casing is more optimised to minimise surges
- etc.
 
Last edited:

Alfa_Particle

Senior Member
Registered Member
How could this be if this new engine is based on WS-15? And no VCE??
Who knows. When in doubt, blame convergent evolution /s

As for no VCE, it is like the Chinese would say, a 短平快 project with as many off-the-shelf parts utilised as possible, so...

But then again the patent document some time ago mentioned a RVABI. I guess we won't be sure for a good while...
 

Deino

Lieutenant General
Staff member
Super Moderator
Registered Member
The document explicitly mentioned "inspection and reverse-engineering of critical parts/关键零件检测与逆向设计" and my interpretation on that is for physical, tangible parts.


Wow :oops: ... but again HOW!

AFAIK there is no F-35B missing in a way, the Chinese could have retrieved anything from remains ... and via data-theft is not exactly what you refer to as "physical, tangible parts."

IMO this is all very mysterious.
 
Top