"Military Martial Plane" Author: Da Yiwan
Yesterday, a video of an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and avionics expert Liu Daxiang giving a keynote report at the China Aviation Industry Conference and Nanchang Flight Conference on November 25, which caused heated discussions online. In this report that mainly talks about the development of aircraft engines and large aircraft, we extracted two key points:
Academician Liu’s video screenshot at the conference
First, Academician Liu Daxiang’s classification of the existing small bypass ratio aircraft engines, such as the third-generation aviation engine represented by AL-31F, F-100/110 and FWS-10A, with a thrust-to-weight ratio of 8, F-119 and F-135 represents the fourth-generation aircraft engine of with a thrust-weight ratio greater than 10, and the TBCC/VCE engine with a thrust-weight ratio expected to be between 12 and 15 levels. This is common sense, and everyone is not surprised;
The second key point is a bit amazing. Academician Liu Daxiang clearly pointed out in the report that the FWS-15 aircraft engine, which is the representative of my country's fourth-generation small bypass ratio, has been installed for the first time, which is also the most authoritative and news about FWS-15.
FWS-15 aircraft engine
After all, regarding the FWS-15 aircraft engine, it is estimated that all military fans who are concerned about the development of China's aviation industry have put too much expectations for it. There are also the most rumors about R&D and production around it. There are probably the following factors:
US F-119-PW100 aircraft engine
On the one hand, the FWS-15 aircraft engine represents that China's aviation engines catch up and even basically reach the research and development and manufacturing level of the most advanced aircraft engines in the United States. The design benchmark of the FWS-15 aircraft engine is the F-119-PW100 aircraft engine of Pratt Whitney in the United States, and it is also the power of the F-22A fighter. Compared with the third-generation aircraft engine, the overall design of F-119-PW100 is advanced, and the overall and technical indicators of each sub-system are superior. Especially after two additional pushes, it is said that its bench lifting thrust has reached more than 170kn, and the thrust-to-weight ratio is greater than 10.
In addition, F-119 engine bypass ratio is only 0.3, with superior high-altitude and high-speed performance, suitable for F-22A fighter emphasizes the design requirements of the right section of the flight envelope. The "gold content" of its thrust-to-weight ratio is much greater than that of the F-135-PW100 that builds a large thrust by a high bypass ratio. It is not an exaggeration to say that the F-119-PW100 represents the highest level of US military high-thrust aircraft engine. Our FWS-15 engine is naturally regarded by military fans as an important benchmark for whether the level of domestic aircraft engines has caught up with the level of US aircraft engines.
Early J-20 is equipped with Russian-made AL-31 engine
On the other hand, the FWS-15 aircraft engine also represents that the J-20 fighter basically realizes its design indicators and achieves complete combat capabilities. From the test flight of the J-20 fighter in 2011 to the present, it has used two aircraft engines, namely, the AL-31FN-M1 and FWS-10.
However, both aircraft engines are third-generation improved aircraft engines, and are not the target aircraft engines of the J-20. Technically, it is impossible to ensure that the J-20 achieves its design indicators, especially in the flight performance of the supersonic speed stage. As an aircraft engine specially equipped for the J-20 fighter, the FWS-15 aircraft engine will not only greatly improve the thrust-to-weight ratio and maneuverability of the J-20 aircraft, but also greatly improve the flight performance of the J-20 fighter in the supersonic speed section, ensuring that the J-20 fighter achieves the original design indicators. To put it bluntly, it means it has the real supersonic cruise performance.
Finally, there are the most rumors surrounding the FWS-15 engine.Not to mention, the code names of FWS-15 alone include "Emei" and "Everest". Compared with the "Taihang" engine code that is easy to figure out, it seems very confusing. Regarding the research and development and design stage of the FWS-15 engine, the difficulties encountered during the development process, etc., there were even rumors on the Internet: around 2018, there was even rumor that the research and development of the FWS-15 engine was in trouble, and it had to seek help from the "Saturn" factory that developed the AL-41FS-type aircraft engine to solve the problem. This made military fans worry about the progress of the fourth-generation aircraft engine development and whether it was successful.
Now, Academician Liu Daxiang's "official announcement" has solved all the above problems: the FWS-15 aircraft engine is not only being developed, but also the development progress is still smooth. It has now reached the installed test flight stage. At this point, it will definitely be equipped with the J-20 fighter in the future. For military fans, this news is no less than joy.
FWS-15 When will the troops be equipped?
However, Academician Liu Daxiang said that the FWS-15 aircraft engine has been installed and tested. It is necessary to see what machine it is installed again. It is not clear when it will be installed. Both factors will directly affect the research and development progress of the FWS-15 engine and the actual time it is installed on the target engine.
From the development process of an aircraft engine, it takes at least six stages to become a product that goes from a PPT to a truly installed aircraft.
The first stage is project demonstration , that is, the concept design of the engine, determine the corresponding technical indicators and sub-system configuration, etc., that is, first draw an image of the engine on paper, and mainly determine the performance of aeroengine according to user needs;
The second stage is the design of the solution, which determines the current technical level and what technical performance the users need, and what technical research needs to be carried out for this purpose, and reverse the construction period in turn to lay the foundation for the research and development of aircraft engines; the third stage of
is the development of engineering. This stage will conduct detailed design and engine trial production, including the core machine, which matches the low-voltage section, and then assemble into the whole machine. At the same time, it is also necessary to enter the Perform the corresponding full process calculation and test, etc.;
The fourth stage is design and shaping. In this stage, the engine prototype has been assembled. For this reason, the engine test run and test flight work is required. This is also a very complex process, divided into multiple links and multiple engines to coordinate and test;
html The fifth stage of 0is production and shaping. After the design and shaping, the aircraft engine installation is produced in small batches, and the production line of the aircraft engine is gradually opened to ensure the stability of the production process and production capacity. This type of aircraft engine can be provided to users in large batches; the sixth stage of
is user feedback and continuous improvement, including performance and service improvements.
Judging from the research and discovery status of the FWS-15 aircraft engine disclosed by Academician Liu Daxiang, it should have passed the third phase of engineering development and entered the fourth phase of design and finalization period. The design and test flight verification work is also very complicated and can be divided into three stages:
First of all, the bench test stage. For example, after the engine is completed for the first assembly, the engine needs to be run-in, the engine design needs to be initially verified, and the working conditions of the main parts and accessories are checked. For this reason, the engine needs to be installed on the test bench for preliminary operation and test run.
After completing the preliminary test run according to national standards, it will enter the second stage, that is, the test run on the high-altitude platform. Compared with the engine rack test run, the high-altitude platform can better simulate the operation status of the engine under different speed stages, different altitude layers, and different working conditions. This is also a very important stage for aircraft engines in test flights. A large number of defects and chronic diseases in the design and manufacturing of the engine must be exposed and improved through high-altitude platform test runs and long-term test runs.
After the high-altitude test run, the engine will enter the installed test flight stage, but the installed test flight stage is also divided into two parts - the first part is the installation test flight test flight, which can be regarded as the follow-up of the high-altitude test, and the engine will be equipped with a special engine test flight verification aircraft to fly. Generally, a four-engine large transport aircraft is used as a verification machine to modify one of the engine poles and install the engine for test flights. Test flight test platform test flights can further verify the design of the aircraft engine, expose engine design defects that cannot be found during high-altitude test flights, etc., and further adjust the engine's technical status and parameters.
After the test flight test platform is completed, the engine will be equipped on the target aircraft for the test flight, and at this time it will enter the engine finalization test flight. The adjustment test flight was completed, the engine technical status was frozen, and there was no major change in various performances. Then, after completing the verification projects stipulated by various national standards step by step, this aircraft engine can be technically finalized.
According to the situation announced by Academician Liu Daxiang, the FWS-15 engine has been installed for the first time, but it has not yet been explained whether it has been on the test flight platform or the target aircraft. If you are on the test flight platform, it means that the FWS-15 aircraft engine has not been truly installed on the target aircraft, and it is still a long distance from design and shaping. Even if it is installed on the target aircraft, it will not be too easy to design and shaping:
Judging from the situation where Platt Whitney designed the F-119-PW100 engine, the F-119 technical verification machine XF-119 began design and manufacturing in 1985, and then carried out a seven-year verification test flight. It was not until 1991 that the contract was signed and transferred to the engineering research and development stage. From engineering research and development to the actual installation of the target aircraft F-22A, the F-119 spent another 6 years; it was only installed in 1997 to launch a test flight, and after another 5 years of testing, it was only transferred to mass production in 2002.
The first batch of F-22A fighter jets with F-119-PW100 engines were delivered to the 325th Wing in January 2003, and IOC was formed in 2005 (with initial combat capability). This means that it took a total of 12 years from entering the EMD (engineering and manufacturing and development) to truly equipped the troops. Even if it was on the flight platform and tested to the equipment troops, it took at least 5 years.
as a reference, if the FWS-15 engine started test flights this year, without considering that the flight station is divided into two parts: test flight station and target aircraft, even if the test goes well, the time when the FWS-15 installs the J-20 fighter will not be earlier than 2027, and it may have to wait until 2030 to form combat effectiveness. Of course, if the node mentioned by Academician Liu Daxiang is relatively advanced, such as the flight station was on the flight station around 2019, then it is still possible to look forward to the FWS-15 engine being equipped with troops around 2025 and forming combat effectiveness in 2027.
But in any case, this speech by Academician Liu Daxiang is the first time we have obtained accurate information about the FWS-15 engine R&D node. We should have full confidence in China Aerospace Engine . After all, our goals must be achieved, and our goals must be achieved!
