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| J-50 fighters |
The J-20 just in service, the next generation fighter began to become users
of discussion, and spontaneous to number "J-50 fighters." remember 10
years ago in the J-20 has not yet appeared, there are enthusiastic users
named "J-20" results unfortunately. Will it be lucky to continue this
time?
We are looking forward to it. As a leading China after 2030 air
superiority fighter, users give high expectations will die can be
understood. J-31 this number has been used. Then it will be
possible to continue later, and the number after J-31 will be lucky.
The success of the next generation of fighters depends on the pace of
research and development of advanced engines.
The United States general
aviation group develops and demonstrates adaptive cycle fan engines.
The
United States Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) signed contracts
with Pratt & Whitney and GE in 2012 to develop an adaptive engine
technology development (AETD) engine with three ducted and adaptive
circulating fans.
Because the traditional turbofan turbofan engine
technology is thought to have been close to the limit of development
bottleneck, think in the future six generation machine first, has
appeared to be inadequate. China has so far failed to announce what
technology the next generation of engines will use, but has said it is
actively developing it. From public data, we can see that a pulse
detonation engine technology, Russia and China have been in research and
development. But the engine has been considered more suited to space
technology than to fighter aircraft.
Unlike Russia, the two largest engine company in the United States still
makes major technological changes on the basis of the original turbofan
engine, although relatively conservative, but the technology maturity
and R & D cycle is much shorter. Neither GE nor Pratt & Whitney
will produce a full-size AETD engine, but in this research project, two
contractors must refine multiple designs into one. The AFRL limits the
size of the engines, and the AETD of the two companies need to be the
same size as the F-135 engine, that is to say, to fit into the fuselage of the
F-35 fighter.
In the past few decades, China has taken the shape of aircraft first and
then into the engine development. Do not know that the cycle of engine
research and development is several times the aircraft, because it is
often finished aircraft manufacturing, the engine is not beautiful.
Since 2000, China has also adjusted its strategy, glued to the world
standard and increased the speed of engine research and development. The
fourth generation of "WS-15 Emei" has been successful, the 5-generation
engine in Ukraine and technical personnel to join the case, will
accelerate the process.