you judging of engine type installed from progress made on Taihang family or from details you see on photos?But from the progress of WS-10A, I will say the engine as AL-31 on J20 is very remote.
he was telling this continuously till winterwhen did maya said that j-20 has AL-31 ?
But from the progress of WS-10A, I will say the engine as AL-31 on J20 is very remote.
From J-15, J-11b to prototype of J-10B all using WS-10A. It's proven WS-10 has enter mass production and proven to be the workhorse of PLAAF/PLANAF. The engine on J-20 is very likely to be domestic tinker version of WS-10 series probably with upthrust /overclock.
Rumor wise, it is NOT the baseline AL-31F with 123 kN you see in the Su-27SK. This engine is by Salyut. Same company that provides the AL-31FN for the J-10. Hui Tong once reported that it is a 'Product 99M' variant with close to 140 kN thrust. Remember Salyut also makes the AL-31FM1 (132 kN) for the Su-34 and they have several uprated variants proposed. Since then Hui Tong has changed it to WS-10X, but to me it seem logical that CAC and Salyut working together until the WS-15 is ready. J-20 flying with a Salyut engine as a stop-gap is not unbelievable/unthinkable to me. Just me 2 cents.
The problem is Russian are not interested in just selling few engines, especially a rival for it aircraft industries.
Remember China try to buy few Su-33 for evaluation instead of 50 reported by Russian and in the end , the deal break down.
I don't think China is interested to commit buying few hundred engines which they pose to use WS-15 in near future. That is precisely why J-20 using a Russian upthrust engines is very unlikely. It is even more unthinkable Salyut will work with CAC on engines issue. Salyut can't be that stupid to help a rival compete engines sales with them in near future?
you will be surprised, but that's exactly what Salyut currently doesIt is even more unthinkable Salyut will work with CAC on engines issue. Salyut can't be that stupid to help a rival compete engines sales with them in near future?
you will be surprised, but that's exactly what Salyut currently does
I think you misunderstand. My poor wording. This is not transferring engine tech. The J-10 flies with AL-31FN, and it is flying in large numbers. The initial J-10 designed for WS-10 was modified for AL-31FN. Salyut came up with the gear-box changed AL-31FN etc etc. These 2 companies have been doing business/corporating for sometime.
If you look at the engine option :
* - WS-15 is at least 5 years away (Probably more). IIRC, maya said around 10 years from successful high altitude core testing (where is maya these days anyway? )
* - WS-10 only recently reached maturity (late 2009). Are they going to risk a brand spanking new 5th gen prototype with equally new higher thrust WS-10 variants?