I suspect that's just prototype 1518.According to Huitong, this image is of a WS-10-powered J-15T from the latest batch and is due to enter service. Any idea if this particular airframe is the same prototype that had the WS-10 or indeed a newbuild?
View attachment 156111
Couldn't they just straight-up not have AL-31Fs on the Fujian? It's not like the production of the J-15T is slow by any means, and the WS-10H/2 has pre-existing WS-10 production lines to base off from.Shilao and Yankee‘s point of views still make sense
A solution that I can think of is that the 003 may temporarily carry the J-15T equipped with the AL-31F, but eventually all of them will be replaced with the J-15T/DT equipped with the WS-10H. The replaced J-15Ts will be transferred to the 001 and 002 to replace the older J-15.
Therefore, the J-15T/DH of 001 and 002 will still use AL-31F for a long time, while 003 will be all WS-10H, which will avoid the problem of maintaining too many engine models on one aircraft carrier.