(Please note that the following discussion assumes that the WS-35 is a high bypass, 35-ton thrust engine.)
Do note that the An-225 with an MTOW of 640 tons was equipped with 6x D-18Ts with individual thrust of 23 tons, meaning a combined thrust of 138 tons. Theoretically speaking, having an An-225-sized airlifter with 4x WS-35s of 35-ton thrust each provides 140 tons of combined thrust, which is largely similar to the original configuration of 6x WS-35s on the An-225.
However, it should be noted that the An-225 was never designed for short-field operations (the lack of rear cargo bay door is one such indication). Therefore, it is very likely that whatever airlifter designs that are to be equipped with 4x WS-35s would have lower MTOWs than the An-125 category, likely in the low-to-mid-500 tons of range if not high-400 tons in order to be capable of austere runway operations.
(For reference, the An-124 with 4x D-18Ts has MTOW of 402 tons.)
In the meantime, apart from An-225, the only aircraft which I could think of that would be a user of WS-35 would be the militarized version of the C929. However, why didn't China follow the same route and develop the militarized version of the C919 in the first place, when the WS-20 (which is roughly in the same ballpark of 130-140 kN thrust as the CJ1000A) is approaching full readiness in the past few years?
Perhaps, it just isn't worth the effort...?
Do note that the An-225 with an MTOW of 640 tons was equipped with 6x D-18Ts with individual thrust of 23 tons, meaning a combined thrust of 138 tons. Theoretically speaking, having an An-225-sized airlifter with 4x WS-35s of 35-ton thrust each provides 140 tons of combined thrust, which is largely similar to the original configuration of 6x WS-35s on the An-225.
However, it should be noted that the An-225 was never designed for short-field operations (the lack of rear cargo bay door is one such indication). Therefore, it is very likely that whatever airlifter designs that are to be equipped with 4x WS-35s would have lower MTOWs than the An-125 category, likely in the low-to-mid-500 tons of range if not high-400 tons in order to be capable of austere runway operations.
(For reference, the An-124 with 4x D-18Ts has MTOW of 402 tons.)
In the meantime, apart from An-225, the only aircraft which I could think of that would be a user of WS-35 would be the militarized version of the C929. However, why didn't China follow the same route and develop the militarized version of the C919 in the first place, when the WS-20 (which is roughly in the same ballpark of 130-140 kN thrust as the CJ1000A) is approaching full readiness in the past few years?
Perhaps, it just isn't worth the effort...?
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