I believe the last thing we ever heard about them was from the interview from the Zhuhai airshow where it was stated that while WS-10 production problems are solved, they have large number of Al-31s left so they need to use them up first. If i'm wrong someone please correct me.
J-10 Thread III (Closed to posting)
- Thread starter crobato
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I believe the last thing we ever heard about them was from the interview from the Zhuhai airshow where it was stated that while WS-10 production problems are solved, they have large number of Al-31s left so they need to use them up first. If i'm wrong someone please correct me.
The issue with WS-10 now is that AL-31FN series 3 has greater thrust and probably service life too, so WS-10 has to at least come close to matching whatever AL-31FN series is producing to get fitted onto J-10.
thunderchief
Senior Member
But they could use them on elder J-10As . That would be good test of engine capability without risking too much .
cloyce
Junior Member
I dont think this 2 engines are interchangeble. WS-10 diameter is also slightly larger, it won't fit into older J-10s anyways.
Dizasta1
Senior Member
Are there any plans to develop an advance variant of the WS-10 that matches or exceeds the performance of AL-31 Series-3?
thunderchief
Senior Member
WS-10B was fitted on one of the J-10B prototypes . I don't know does J-10A needs engine with smaller diameter then J-10B, but it doesn't seem very likely considering dimensions of both aircraft .
I think J-10 may have designed for WS-10 in mind, but can also fit the smaller AL-31FN with the right setup.
cloyce
Junior Member
That could be a specialy built J-10B to test WS-10, I dont think standard J-10B could do it.
thunderchief
Senior Member
Highly unlikely, because if WS-10B is completely incompatible with J-10, they would need to redesign air intake to the point that would change internal structure of the plane . In other words it would be something entirely different from serial versions of J-10A and J-10B, therefore such test would be expensive and largely useless .
Not sure why You think so !?? ... We have already seen the WS-10A being interchangeable with the AL-31F in a Flanker (see J-15 prototype '554') and I can't think that this is only a specially modified aircraft to test both engines. As such I assume the WS-10B can be used on a standard J-10B with only minor modification and not like You suggest via a completely redesigned internal structure. I can't think that SAC has an AL-31F and WS-10A-structured J-11B on the line and the same also for CAC.
Most likely the WS-10 was designed from the beginning with a possible engine-change in mind ... if that will be done is a different story, but stories that the WS-10 has a marginally wider diameter and won't fit a standard fuselage is non-sense.
IMO the latest AL-31FN series III is simply now a bit more reliable and has a higher thrust than the now available WS-10B and that's the reason for the J-10B still being AL-31FN-powered.
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