Guizhou Liyang Aero Engine Co., Ltd. affiliated to China Aviation Engine Corporation posted the company’s key tasks in 2020 recently, one of which is the implementation of small-batch production of a new aircraft engine.
The outside world generally believes that this new engine is probably WS-13IPE (thrust-enhanced type), which mainly adds thrust on the basis of WS-13 engine in order to adapt to performance upgrade and improvement of fighters.
WS-13 is a medium-thrust turbofan engine developed by the Liyang company based on Russian RD-93 engine. It was originally planned for JF-17/ FC-1 fighter. However, before its successful development, the Pakistan Air Force had selected RD-93 turbofan engine for JF-17 fighter and established an overhaul line. After evaluation, the Pakistani side thought that the performance of WS-13 is similar to that of the RD-93 engine. And the entire logistics support system would almost be overturned and it would cost too much to replace the engines. Therefore, Pakistan decided to continue to use the RD-93 engine.
However, Liyang company did not abandon WS-13 in this regard, and continued to improve and increase the engine’s thrust. Liyang company believed that JF-17 Block-III fighters would undergo major changes, and will use new equipment such as source phased array radar and integrated electronic warfare systems. And the weight of the aircraft would definitely increase significantly compared to the first and second batches. So the need for a larger thrust engine is an opportunity for WS-13 engine.
Besides, it was reported that FC-31 fighter was equipped with WS-13 engine with an afterburning thrust less than 9 tons, which is far from sufficient.
FC-31 fighter was originally planned to use a fourth-generation homemade turbofan engine, but this engine has just been developed, and it will take some time for the design to be finalized and mass-produced.
Liyang company decided to improve the thrust of the WS-13 engine as a transition for FC-31 fighter. The WS-13IPE thrust- enhanced engine adopts a relatively conservative scheme and retains the original four-stage fan, but the blades are swept forward to delay the airflow separation. This increases the fan speed and allows the engine to take in more air, thereby increasing the engine thrust.
After the improvement, the thrust of WS-13IPE engine could be over 9 tons, which can be used for JF-17 Block-III and can also meet the initial needs of JC-31 stealth fighters, especially if JC-31 is chosen as the carrier-based fighter, which is rumored to be J-35 fighter and would need engines with a higher thrust to carry its increased weight.
Ws13ipe or ws19 will equipe JF17?