2030s... They would have their 6th generation fighter prepared for testing in ten years... it's closer or never. I don't see heavy J-20 production in the 2030s but I can be wrong. I would thing that the next generation superiority fighter would be starting testing in 10 years.
J-20 5th Generation Fighter VII
- Thread starter siegecrossbow
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I think some people underestimate the difference between 5th generation engine and advanced 4th gen engine. While the maximum wet thrust might be similar, there is usually a huge gap in military thrust.
Depends on what is “redesigned” or “improved”. You can swap out a few components to drive up performance and get away with minimal changes to testing if the testing of the whole engine design is already mature. It’s why each new WS-10 improvement didn’t take another extra decade. Testing time for changes is also likely becoming more compressed as their component technologies get better and their test process becomes more mature.
We've had rumours that J-20 flying with a TVC WS-10 since Zhuhai 2018.
These pictures that Deino posted have all been more recent, released between 2021 and now.
While it is theoretically possible these could be new WS-10 variants with TVC, we cannot ignore the elephant in the room that over the last year in the same timespan, there have been significant noises about WS-15 starting flight testing with J-20.
It is also possible that these are old pictures only being released now, but the timing is also very suspect and somewhat confusing.
Of course we should all wait and see, but all PLA watching is a result of correlating rumours with pictures, and the current situation is one that is worth taking seriously.
Additionally, with the most recent picture of the "short nozzle"/new engine that Deino posted, we can see that the air intake (and possibly even the ventral wing/fuselage join) on the same side (right side) appears to be different from the left as well, which would be somewhat suggestive of a somewhat more different engine in terms of structure and performance characteristics.
(Likely a modified early 2011-2013 prototype airframe?)
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There were very limited amount of J20 airframes before 2017, they were super precious at that time. A J11 would more likely be refitted to do such test.
Are you sure, the "air intake (and possibly even the ventral wing/fuselage join) on the same side (right side) appears to be different from the left as well"?? Indeed, the intake looks "different" but this image is so much blurry that I won't say so ...
I'm really not sure.
The angle of the lighting could very much explain it as well, the intake in particular.
Yeah I think this is one of those need to wait for better pictures cases. There’s definitely *something* going on with the J-20’s engines though.
Although the blurry photo couldn't substantiate what Blitzo said, but logically it's about time we see WS15 being tested on J20. China may be taking her time to play catch up, but she's relentless and never miss a step.
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