Chinese Engine Development

Blitzo · Oct 23, 2025

MeiouHades said:
Isn't that a bit underpowered for a supposedly heavy attack helicopter?

No

Z-20 is a 10 ton utility helicopter, like Blackhawk.
Z-21 is an equivalent weight attack helicopter, which for a 10 ton attack helicopter is a heavy attack helicopter like AH-64.

AH-64 and Blackhawk share the same T700 powerplant.
Z-20 and Z-21 share the same WZ-10 powerplant (not to mention other things like rotor, transmission, structural elements etc).

What makes you think a 10 ton class attack helicopter isn't a heavy attack helicopter?

ACuriousPLAFan · Oct 26, 2025

There is a new turboshaft engine with the designation of WZ-20. The tender document is from AECC Zhuzhou.

Posted by SOYO on Weibo.

sunnymaxi · Oct 27, 2025

ACuriousPLAFan said:
There is a new turboshaft engine with the designation of WZ-20. The tender document is from AECC Zhuzhou.

Posted by SOYO on Weibo.

View attachment 163397

interesting.

AECC Zhuzhou is the entity who actually build that 30kg/s class gas generator and this generator can be used for the core engine of a 30-50-ton heavy-duty helicopter turboshaft engine.

so this WZ-20 most likely the engine for AHL heavy lifter helicopter.

gelgoog · Oct 27, 2025

A heavy helicopter engine would use an engine core of similar power as in a CF-34 engine for the C909 or a WS-21 engine for the J-35 I think.

Tomboy · Oct 27, 2025

gelgoog said:
Don't bother yourself too much with the Ultrafan. RR made the biggest prototype they could. There is no aircraft design in Europe big enough. This is a Boeing 777X class engine. And that aircraft already has an engine.

They will probably shrink the Ultrafan so it can fit an existing aircraft. Another 5 years to shrink the engine and more years to make the new aircraft model.

Ultrafan right now is the prototype, RR is planning two different production variants in the late 2020s to early 2030s. Ultrafan 30 and 80, 80 directly competes with CJ-2000A in the next gen 350kN class while 30 competes with CFM RISE and CJ-1000A for narrow body.

ACuriousPLAFan · Oct 27, 2025

gelgoog said:
A heavy helicopter engine would use an engine core of similar power as in a CF-34 engine for the C909 or a WS-21 engine for the J-35 I think.

Apparently the CJ-500 project has been archived/put on the back burner for the time being (if not being discarded).

Speaking of turboshaft engines - There is the WJ-10, which is the most powerful indigenous turboshaft engine in active service in China right now (~1600 to ~1800 kW).

In the meantime, there should be a 2000 kW-class turboshaft engine in the works right now, which should enable Z-8/18-sized helicopters to be powered with only 2x such engines instead of 3x weaker engines, alongside one such engine for a ~5-ton-class compound helicopter.

At the same time, we do know that the developmental work on a 5000 kW-class turboshaft engine is underway. Coupled with the prior news of both a 20-ton-class helicopter and a 30-ton-class helicopter in the works - The 20-ton-class helicopter could be powered by 2x of the 5000 kW-class engines, and the 30-ton-class helicopter could be powered by 3x of the same engines.

(There is also a claim/allegation of a 8000 kW-class turboshaft engine in the works (meaning that only 2x such engines are required for a 30-ton-class helicopter).)

In addition, the 5000 kW-class engines can certainly be further developed to power the Chinese counterpart to the V-22 Osprey.

sunnymaxi · Oct 27, 2025

ACuriousPLAFan said:
Apparently the CJ-500 project has been archived/put on the back burner for the time being (if not being discarded).

Speaking of turboshaft engines - There is the WJ-10, which is the most powerful indigenous turboshaft engine in active service in China right now (~1600 to ~1800 kW).

In the meantime, there should be a 2000 kW-class turboshaft engine in the works right now, which should enable Z-8/18-sized helicopters to be powered with only 2x such engines instead of 3x weaker engines, alongside one such engine for a ~5-ton-class compound helicopter.

At the same time, we do know that the developmental work on a 5000 kW-class turboshaft engine is underway. Coupled with the prior news of both a 20-ton-class helicopter and a 30-ton-class helicopter in the works - The 20-ton-class helicopter could be powered by 2x of the 5000 kW-class engines, and the 30-ton-class helicopter could be powered by 3x of the same engines.

(There is also a claim/allegation of a 8000 kW-class turboshaft engine in the works (meaning that only 2x such engines are required for a 30-ton-class helicopter).)

In addition, the 5000 kW-class engines can certainly be further developed to power the Chinese counterpart to the V-22 Osprey.

AECC Zhuzhou aka institute 608 is the part of AECC South which located in Hunan province.. in recent years they emerged as a prominent player in turboshaft/turboprop engines and transmission system. AES-100 and AEP-500 are their work.

AECC Zhuzhou also build propfan prototype and did ground test.

they did showcase that 30kg/s class gas generator as a core machine at 2022 airshow. and specifically mentioned heavy duty helicopters. The "30kg/s" gas generator exhibited this time adopts an advanced double-rotor structure and is used for the core engine of a 30-50-ton heavy-duty helicopter turboshaft engine. It can also be derived and developed into advanced turboprops and propeller fans.

i believe, this 30kg/s core gas generator is the core machine of upcoming heavy duty turboshaft engine. with this power output they can easily build 8000KW turboshaft Engine..

ACuriousPLAFan said:
In addition, the 5000 kW-class engines can certainly be further developed to power the Chinese counterpart to the V-22 Osprey.

Rolls Royce T406 has maximum power output of 4,586KW..

gelgoog · Oct 28, 2025

ACuriousPLAFan said:
there should be a 2000 kW-class turboshaft engine in the works right now, which should enable Z-8/18-sized helicopters to be powered with only 2x such engines instead of 3x weaker engines

That is non-trivial to design. Making an helicopter gearbox is really hard. Switching to more or less engines or substantially changing power implies designing another gearbox.

MeiouHades · Oct 31, 2025

tphuang said:
View attachment 162073

so says here that for afterburner, the maximum outlet chamber temperature is 2050K. Which seems to be pretty high? Would make this a 5th gen engine. I'm not translating this correctly but it seems like temperature here is outlet instead of inlet temperature? You need pretty advanced materials to handle that.

Also keep in mind that for RD-33, its dry thrust is 50kN and wet thrust is 81kN. And that is measured in cold Russian environment while WS-19 would have to reach certainly level in much hotter and humid China (especially around SCS, where CV-18 will have to operate).

So, getting to 70kN and 110kN is a pretty big jump for something similar in size (that's 40% greater dry thrust and 36% higher wet thrust). Even if engine is slightly heavier, it would still be a TWR of 10 level of engine. That seems pretty solid to me.

Is there something I'm not getting here? This seems to be beyond what I would expect for WS-19.

What are people still complaining about?

Also this is worth mentioning, the 70 kN dry thrust is nearly as much as the M88's wet thrust of 75 kN. Now imagine improved versions of the WS-19 with wet thrust nearing or exceeding 120 kN and a dry thrust approaching 90 kN.

tphuang · Nov 1, 2025

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南昌飞行大会暨航空产业博览会在南昌瑶湖机场盛大启幕。中国航发携CJ2000发动机、KP12涡喷发动机、3MW级涡轮混电能源系统等产品亮相。

very interesting. CJ2000, KP12 turbojet engine and 3 MW hybrid electric power system are mentioned in the same sentence.

I can see why 3 MW is a big deal, but what is this KP-12 turbojet?

Chinese Engine Development

Blitzo

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ACuriousPLAFan

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sunnymaxi

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gelgoog

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Tomboy

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