Chinese Engine Development

ZeEa5KPul

ZeEa5KPul

Colonel
Registered Member
siegecrossbow said:
If true a future J-10 variant will use WS-15. Then again, take CCTV programs that don’t involve actual interviews with AVIC engineers with a grain of salt.
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In any event, this isn't telling us anything we don't already know. We know (suspect?) that a WS-15 has been fitted to a J-20 for testing and we even have a suspected photograph of it.

I think we can discount the idea that a J-10 will fly with the WS-15; that would just be a waste of an engine that China can't afford to waste any of.
 
siegecrossbow

siegecrossbow

General
Staff member
Super Moderator
ZeEa5KPul said:
In any event, this isn't telling us anything we don't already know. We know (suspect?) that a WS-15 has been fitted to a J-20 for testing and we even have a suspected photograph of it.

I think we can discount the idea that a J-10 will fly with the WS-15; that would just be a waste of an engine that China can't afford to waste any of.
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It is a good sign though. If there is something seriously wrong with WS-15 development they wouldn't mention it in the program. They also confirmed that it will be thrust vectored.
 
SinoSoldier

SinoSoldier

Colonel
siegecrossbow said:
If true a future J-10 variant will use WS-15. Then again, take CCTV programs that don’t involve actual interviews with AVIC engineers with a grain of salt.
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Or it could signal that a 5th-generation single-engine fighter might be in the works. Of course, this is all contingent on the TV report being factually-accurate or cognizant of industry news, which might not be the case.
 
O

ougoah

Brigadier
Registered Member
Not impossible that the WS-15 goes to the J-10.

It isn't for the J-35 so what other medium sized fighter could it be for unless there is a medium sized 5th gen in development that is single engined. J-35 will use WS-13 and then WS-19 (or immediately use WS-19 from the get go). J-10s are using WS-10B. If it's not J-10 getting WS-15 when it is ready for service, then it is another medium weight fighter we don't know of. I wouldn't even call J-10 a medium weight fighter which the Pakistanis refer to it as. It is more a lightweight fighter for China.

A J-35 is twin engined and almost certainly not getting WS-15.

A new single engine fighter for WS-15 is unlikely unless it is a 6th gen (the single engined tailless that was photographed in an airbase). No point having 3 separate 5th gens.

A UCAV is unlikely to be referred to as a fighter and these official reporting have been pretty much always on point and whatever they are comfortable announcing usually ends up confirmed in months/years as has been the case for the last 20 odd years.

Therefore it is either for J-10 eventually or for some new fighter of medium weight class. The time required to bring such a thing into service would allow the WS-15s on J-20 service to mature as we have seen with J-11B WS-10A and eventually WS-10B service on J-10 (single engine maturity and reliability requirements).
 
K

kentchang

Junior Member
Registered Member
SinoSoldier said:
Or it could signal that a 5th-generation single-engine fighter might be in the works. Of course, this is all contingent on the TV report being factually-accurate or cognizant of industry news, which might not be the case.
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I am willing to bet all what's left of my BABA and DIDI stocks that the WS-15 will NOT go into a plane designated as J-10. I'll use '4th' to mean '5th' generation in this message to match the audio.

I replayed the clip several times. Based on the wording of the audio (good/literal/exact translation a few messages ago), it specifically said "for 4th generation heavy and medium combat aircrafts". J-10 doesn't fit at all. This being CCTV, the precision of the wording can be taken seriously. The phrases 'medium' and 'combat aircrafts' seem to rule out UCAVs and the H-20. '4th generation' rules out any next generation fighter due by 2035.

Like that AVIC half-second video clip that first hinted at the J-20S, is it possible that this video announced the existence of a near-term single-engined 4th generation fighter project based on an existing design? A plausible explanation is that the J-10D or E will be sufficiently different to be given a J-2X type designation. Not too far-fetched as there is a precedence. 'Shandong' was given Type 002, not Type 001A.
 
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