Fighter fleet of China refuses Russian engines

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China has begun replacing Russian AL-31 engines in its fighter jets with its own WS-10B turbofan engines. The re-equipment of the fighter fleet of the PLA Air Force began before the expiration of the service life of the AL-31. This is reported by Military Watch Magazine.

Starting in 2010, China began to install WS-10 engines of its own design on heavy twin-engine J-11 fighters. Until that time, all aircraft of the PLA Air Force were equipped with Russian AL-31s, developed in 1985. The re-equipment of the J-10 single-engine light fighters was delayed due to the low reliability of the first WS-10 series.



In January of this year, the first squadron of J-11 aircraft with upgraded WS-10B engines appeared, and soon the replacement of the AL-31 with Chinese turbines and single-engine J-10s began, which indicates increased reliability of the engines.

The latest series of fighters equipped exclusively with Russian AL-31s were the carrier-based J-15s of the PLA Air Force. Based on aircraft carriers made high demands on the corrosion resistance of engines. At the end of November, the first J-15s with new WS-10B engines were seen, which indicates that the engines have been finalized for their operation in aircraft carrier bases.

Until 2010, Chinese engine manufacturers remained behind their foreign competitors, forcing them to continue to use the AL-31 for domestic J-10 and J-11 fighters. The development of the WS-10B marks an important milestone in the development of the country's aircraft engine industry and a trend towards the abandonment of the Russian AL-31 power plants in favor of the WS-10

writes MW.

The publication also notes that fighter engines remained the last area of ​​aircraft construction in which China was significantly inferior to Russia. The gradual abandonment of the AL-31 will allow the PLA fighter fleet to be standardized, which will reduce the cost of maintaining and maintaining the airworthiness of the PLA Air Force aircraft.
  • Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation
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  1. steelmaker
    steelmaker
    -1
    25 November 2022 15: 46
    Starting in 2010, China began to install WS-10 engines

    If you suffer for a long time, something will turn out.
  2. Sergey Latyshev
    Sergey Latyshev
    +1
    25 November 2022 19: 36
    They wrote at VO before covid that China increased the power and reliability of its engines by 5-7% per year.
    Consider, caught up in quality to the 22nd
  3. ont65
    ont65
    +4
    26 November 2022 07: 26
    With China's eye on the role of the Factory of the World and the level of investment in technological developments (what kind of a factory, if only other people's developments are in business, for which you have to pay and depend on the goodwill of foreigners), this moment was predictable. And our authorities still have not decided on the tasks of the economy. A small part of what is needed in development is financed, and then, a teaspoon per hour, and there is no talk of any advance in general. With the production base, things are no better. We will do, but not all, we will develop, but in particular. Where this path will lead is clear. Until the first bumps.
  4. Anton Kuzmin
    Anton Kuzmin
    +1
    26 November 2022 15: 18
    This is not what commentators write about and the author narrowed down the topic of the article. The phenomenon is described, but not a word about the reasons. The Chinese, of course, well done. But with materials science they are traditionally not very good. They wouldn't be able to do it themselves.

    And what does Motor Sich have to do with it? After all, there was nothing! /sly grins/ :)
  5. Dmitry Volkov
    Dmitry Volkov
    +1
    6 December 2022 08: 45
    All this is ridiculous to the point of colic, but that's why, the Chinese engine is a clone of the AL-31, taking into account their fantasies, it’s real, in order to stir up the engine, only R&D is needed for 10-15 years! Dreamers!
    China has been waiting for the Tu-22 for thirty years at home, they really need the NK-32 engine. And we also have AL-41 and they are still twenty years old before it, like before the Chinese wall laughing