For Chinese military fans, in this week, the most important event is rumors about Xian Y-20 large transport aircraft officially delivered to the air force, and therefore became active service aircraft.
As China’s large transport aircraft and even an important milestone, after transport Y-20 China’s large aircraft of the road how to go, already from a long-term goal to become an urgent topic. Meanwhile, the new European Sartori Defense Exhibition held in France this week, in extreme religious and moderate Muslims in Europe are increasingly becoming variable when several major NATO countries will reveal what the anti-exhibition The new change?
After Xian Y-20, where is Chinese Air Force going?
According to People News, June 16, China’s first air force transport aircraft delivered Y-20 Air Force aviation division, the aircraft officially joined the army to become a sign. As China’s first mass production of large transport aircraft, the importance of transport Y-20 officially enter service, how it cannot be overstated.
Recently delivered Y-20
For large transport aircraft had been dependent on imports, and optionally a limited product range and the Chinese Air Force, the Xian Y-20 is not only to verify the level of aviation industry “disappointing machine”, it is to meet Chinese Air Force transport aircraft large number of key models. The Chinese military, in addition to transport materials to meet the daily tasks, the first use of medium-sized transport aircraft is without a doubt the implementation of large-scale transport paratroopers airborne operations.
Compared with insufficient transport capacity of the Chinese Navy amphibious long-faced lack of strength of the Chinese Air Force transport more serious: Air Force has long been only 10 Il-76 heavy transport aircraft (until recent years, was also received two batches of second-hand refurbished machines, However, considering the number of aircraft IL-76 has been turned into planes and engine test platform for the actual number of IL-76 transport is still not more than 30), and even medium-sized transport aircraft transported -8 series number is very limited. Taking into account the motorized, mechanized Chinese airborne troops in 2000 after the rapid increase – the first batch of equipment airborne fast assault vehicles, and later began to dress up the bulk airborne infantry fighting vehicles, mortars and other airborne self-mechanized equipment, the future may also be equipped with a large-caliber airborne self-propelled guns – so inadequate transportation force more obvious defects. Considering China purchased large transport environment is also deteriorating, the new IL-76 has been unable to obtain, Il-476 is not yet mature, and significantly complicated the national logistics system, the Xian Y-20 at this time is completely arrival timely rain.
Such an important project from 2007, officially approved so far only nine years have passed, and all the time the node including the 2012, including the first flight are basically completed on time, for such a large-scale projects, such progress is enough to make people pleased. The basic level of performance op-20 for the outside world is no secret, but the machine uses imported Russian D-30KP-2 engine, many military fans will still feel very sorry.
But in my opinion, based on the current public transport parameters Y-20, compared to active duty military transport aircraft IL-76, using the same engine under the premise of Xian Y-20 on the maximum takeoff weight increase of 30 tons (200 tons: 170 tons), the maximum load is an increase of more than 20 tons (60 tons: 40 tons), which shows the Xian Y-20 in the body structure, weight reduction and aerodynamic design layout far better than IL-76, it can be It reached such a huge performance boost engine under the same conditions. Considering turbofan Y-20 flight has been installed for many years, and has been in good condition, will soon begin test installed in Xian Y-20 aircraft, then we should be shipped soon after the use of domestic Y-20 turbofan engine improvements type performance more optimistic expectations.
Of course, before this, we had to rely on transport Y-20 D-30KP2 level turbofan engine. The reason to add this “level” word, because it includes not only imported from Russia D-30KP2 engine, as well as Chinese imitation D-30KP2 developed -18 turbofan engine. The first type of engine installed for testing in September 2014, should be able to include bombers and transport Y-20 -6K including large aircraft production work after importation of D-30KP2 engine exhausted. If given the current boom -6K and transport Y-20 production speed, coupled with the active IL-76 transport aircraft normal renewal requirements can be determined by the end of 2016, originally purchased from Russia 239 engine has a large D-30KP2 part of the use of installed capacity, while the Chinese air force and no further request the purchase of D-30KP2 to Russia, presumably, although installed capacity of flight time is shorter than the turbofan Y-20, but progress has low technical difficulty turbofan-18 should For quicker, plus turbofan -18 on the structure is completely consistent with the D-30KP2, put Xian Y-20 does not need to improve, it will not impact on the air, the aircraft has had in turbofan Y-20 & tRANSPORTATION Y-20 ago test Set equipment army Xian Y-20 transport conditions. The next few years, we will have the opportunity to witness the completion of transport from the use of imported engines Y-20 to -18 domestic turbofan engine, and then use high bypass ratio turbofan engine Y-20 transformation.
Current news, the 2016 Chinese Air Force will receive four production operation and Y-20, plus two machine number 788,789 with little difference between the production of prototypes (large transport aircraft because of high prices, and the test subjects not severe loss of life of the body with a variety of complex maneuvering, the remaining life more generally, can be used as a general transport after upgrading to production levels. C-17 transport aircraft to deliver prototype US Air Force Air Force also modified.), then this year the Chinese Air Force will receive six Xian Y-20 transport aircraft, and 2000 years ago, the Chinese Air Force equipped with a long-term annual rate compared to transport -8, if this rate can be sustained, as long as about five years to complete the existing IL-76 fleet facelift. For strategic transportation force educated Chinese Air Force is a good news.
1991 China delivered a batch of IL-76 has been in service for more than 25 years, all kinds of life are depleted; but in recent years more than 10 aircraft delivered two mobile phone refurbished longer remaining life, even in the future to complete transport Y-20 after the transport fleet of the facelift, there are still considerable value in use. Considering the army had been trapped in the Il-76 aerial platform insufficient number of special machines, the “liberation” of the heavy transport aircraft can just come in handy. Of course, if you let these old conveyors as the year of the same to become air marshals Y-2000 AWACS, will inevitably encounter such discord old body platform and advanced electronic equipment, but it will be converted into the air tanker would be a suitable decisions to a serious lack of large-scale Chinese air Force aerial refueling platform, only three Il-78 aerial refueling tanker to meet the needs of the Soviet Union -30MKK such heavy fighters, bombers and other -6U mainly medium-sized F -10 fighter like aerial refueling training, more than a dozen heavy air tanker planes appear, will allow Chinese air Force air refueling capacity increased from a nominal level to combat level; secondly tankers Il-76 transport aircraft modification is relatively simple, as long as the modification part of the oil Road, air refueling pods and add a fuel tank to the warehouse, but also in peacetime can demolish warehouses tank, normally used as a common transport. So do both, apparently dispose of these old conveyors better way.
Of course, whether or AWACS aerial refueling, it is not the most ideal platform for large transport aircraft, but in the wide-body long-range aircraft based on the development of large-scale special platform. Of course, no such domestic platform for improvement: development of the C-919 is too small, and the degree of localization of a serious shortage of equipment, the lack of ability to fly based on their own technology to develop the national production of wide-body aircraft; jointly developed by China and Russia wide-body aircraft, although technically this capability, but considering the differences in the needs of both sides, and Russia has always been tough in the joint development project, it is difficult to obtain reliable results within a short time; as for large aircraft to the domestic aspect of the strongest Western Development of the leading fly, then dispersed into severe originally focused on technology and productive forces of Xian Y-20 and H–6K. On the whole, since the Xian Y-20 can temporarily be used as a large special platform, then immediately “stove” developed a special platform is not an efficient decision.
Old Shaanxi Y-9 program a good idea, but it was beyond the capacity of our industrial
In 1969, China has started to develop under the leftist Trend Shaanxi Y-9 transport aircraft, carrying 42 tons of such plans large aircraft is China’s first self-developed heavy transport aircraft. But then almost no support for this major Chinese aircraft technical reserves, therefore no surprise in the project two years later dismount. 47 years later, when China’s own large aircraft delivery unit “paid off” in the true sense, was really clear interpretation.