Obsessions with Engine "Chrysanthemums"
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Yes, IMO 100% for sure.
It fit's nicely as the most realistic option to reports - regardless how contradicting some might be - that they are "simply" testing a TVC-nozzle fitted to a WS-10 of some variant on a J-10B prototype.
Consequently I cannot understand what some try to find in between some lines or images: From all we know the WS-15 is not ready yet and most likely not on operational aircraft for some time to come. Even if a WS-15 prototype will be fitted on a J-20 anytime soon (within the next 12 months or so) it is highly unlikely that they are already testing a WS-15 - a brand new engine - on a single engine fighter.
IMO it is as unlikely as this search for a tailless J-20 ...
@Tirdent, that's not actually the flange line in your first picture, however. There's 3 segments on the WS-10, while there's something like 8 segments in the TVC nozzle. Your line is between segment 2 and 3, mine is between segment 1 and 2. Unless you opt to choose the dividing line between 2/3 or 3/4, you can't get it to match the WS-10 flange line.
No, IMO in no way! Why should there be any reason to assume a prototype should already be tested yet? From all we know it will take some more time and indeed I expect either the WS-15 at first on the Il-76LL or a J-11B if this type will ever fit. Otherwise I expect a WS-15 not before 3 years from now on in a J-20.
@Deino ... this reminds me of a particular thread on PDFSince Deino has said that nozzle discussion on the J-20 is off-topic, shall we take it here?
One final possibility regarding Gongke is that the J-10B was not testing the nozzle, but rather testing the WS-15 engine. This is understandable in one sense; the J-10B is an approximately $50 million fighter, while the J-20 is approximately $100 million. On the other hand, the risk of losing the craft is dramatically greater on the J-10B than on the J-20, since the J-10B is single-engined. Ideally, the best test platform would instead be a J-11, but Chengdu doesn't run J-11s and would have to reach out to Shenyang to test the engine for the J-20.
On the other hand,
"Big brother, I finished testing the new nozzle for you. It feels really powerful/empowering!"
给力 in this case can be translated both literally and metaphorically, however, given common Chinese use. But if we take it literally, could this not be seen as evidence that it was the WS-15 in testing, not the nozzle?
Check out this picture, and compare it to shots of the WS-10 engine.
In the first pic, the first segment of the exposed engine goes out to only 16% of the length of the tail fairing, ignoring the white EW probe. In the second picture, the first section goes all the way out to 23% of the same distance (use the lower aircraft).
Now, it's possible that this is just a matter of the whole nozzle; i.e, the exterior of the first segment is already modified as a part of the whole engine, but it does raise the possibility that the J-10B wasn't using a TVC nozzle mounted onto the WS-10.
Why should there be reason to assume a prototype has not been tested yet? After all, publicly testing a WS-15 prototype on a J-20 has attendant risks; delays make China look bad if there is low confidence in the engine, and as we've discussed, the J-20 is a high-cost airframe.
Found something interesting. According to this CCTV report, it's not just the nozzle that's being tested on the J-10B; purportedly the engine is designed as a TVC engine. This implies at least the WS-10X is being slated for the J-20, but talk of "next generation engine" makes it a bit more credible that it's a WS-15 being tested.