Military sources revealed that China is testing a turbofan 20 domestic engine for transport aircraft, and this engine may replace the Russian engine currently adopted by the fleet and increase the cargo capacity of the transport aircraft by about 20 %.
According to the Hong Kong South China Morning Post yesterday (25th), increased cargo capacity means that transport aircraft can now transport China's most advanced 99A tank.The existing engine cannot carry this tank weighing 58 tons.
China has long encountered challenges in manufacturing high -quality fighter engines, which has led some military aircraft in China to rely on Russian engines.
Sources said that the turbofan 20 engine aims to allow the aircraft to have a larger lift and longer range, and the Chinese military has installed turbofan 20 in a transport 20 transport aircraft to launch testing.
The source also said: To install this engine in other transport aircraft, it may take three years or longer.
The shipping 20, manufactured by Xi'an Aircraft Industry Corporation, is the largest fighter in the Chinese Air Force fleet.The Shircov D -30 engine currently provides motivation for Yun 20, allowing the shipping 20 range to reach 7,500 kilometers, and the cargo capacity can reach 55 tons.The aircraft manufacturer pointed out that the turbofan 20 designed by the Shenyang Engine Design Research Institute will increase the cargo capacity of Yun 20 from 55 tons to 66 tons.
It is reported that the new engine is also expected to increase the range of the aircraft to the unspecified distance, so that the aircraft can perform remote tasks and carry heavy equipment such as tanks without adding fuel.
Michael Raska, Assistant Professor of the Institute of National Defense and Strategy, Nanyang University of Technology in Singapore, believes that the turbofan 20 engine installed in the 20 derivative military aircraft in transporting 20Fundamentally realized the strategic air capacity of the Chinese People's Liberation Army.
However, Lascal also questioned whether China's defense industry can maintain the existing quality and reliability of these engines.He said: (engine quality) is the long -term weakness of all Chinese turbofan engines.If they can do it, China will reduce dependence on similar engine suppliers in Russia.
The turbofan 20 engine refers to the turbofan 10A turbofan engine, while some PLA fighters made in China use turbofan 10A, including J -10 and J -16.
Military commentator Song Zhongping said that greater capacity can make the PLA can overcome logistics problems when air -transporting tanks and other heavy equipment.Similar tasks can only be completed after removing tanks in the past and re -assembly after arriving at the destination.
