A recent interview with a Y-20 (Yun-20) pilot revealed that a new refueling aircraft modified from Y-20 large transport aircraft will soon be unveiled, which is called Yunyou-20 for now.
According to a report of “Ordnance Technology” magazine in China, official media reports confirmed that Yunyou-20 not only exists but has also entered the test stage of research and development. According to scientific research conventions, the upcoming Yunyou-20 may be close to maturity and a small amount of it might be on trial first.
It is speculated that J-20 has likely reserved design and interface device for hard tube refueling at the beginning of its design, and it is likely to become the first service object of Yunyou-20’s hard tube refueling.
The analysis emphasizes that if you compare the initially modified Yunyou-20 with the most advanced tanker in the world today, there is still a gap.
As the hard tube refueling device is used, the middle hose refueling device cannot be used at the same time, so in terms of fuel supply method, the European Air Force A330 MRTT and the US Air Force KC-46 are currently equipped with three hose refueling devices and a hard tube refueling device. Compared with the 2-3 hose refueling devices of Yunyou-20, the former two’s ability to supply oil at the same time is much stronger. The analysis said that the lack of a hard tube refueling device is arguably the biggest shortcoming in the early stages of Yunyou-20.
However, at present, China has started to develop hard tube refueling. According to the existing information, it is likely to mature in about 5 years. And then Yunyou-20 could be the only available air refueling platform for the People’s Liberation Army, and it will likely to be equipped with a hard tube refueling device.
After using the hard pipe refueling technology, J-20 can theoretically accept 12,000 liters in about 2 minutes, which is nearly 10 tons of fuel and is close to the maximum internal oil loading of J-20. The maximum range of J-20 after refueling can exceed 8,000 kilometers, and its maximum combat radius can be extended to more than 3,000 kilometers. Analysts believe that J-20 can complete 10,000-mile trans-continental intercontinental flights just like F-22 after receiving oil for many times. J-20 with air refueling capability, combined with Yun-20 hard-tube refueling aircraft, can cover the first and second island chain areas in the combat interception area and become a sharp “spear” with both offensive and defensive capabilities.
On the other hand, the analysis pointed out that as the load data of Yun-20 has not been officially announced, it is difficult to calculate the oil carrying capacity of Yunyou-20. Considering that the design, specifications, and load capacity of Y-20 are similar to that of the Russian Il-76 large transport aircraft, and the Russian side modified the Il-78 air tanker based on the Il-76, in terms of modification and oil carrying capacity of Yunyou-20, it is likely to be similar to that of IL-78. Therefore, based on the oil carrying capacity of IL-78, it is estimated that the fuel carrying capacity of Yunyou-20 should not be similar.
According to information published by the Chinese Air Force University’s Aviation Open Day, the maximum take-off weight of Yun-20 is 179 tons, the maximum fuel load is 77.5 tons, and the maximum load is 55 tons. As Yunyou-20 was developed on the basis of Y-20, its fuselage oil load should be the same or even more.
The fuel supply method is the core technology of aerial tanker modification and the key to the modification of Yunyou-20. The analysis pointed out that, based on the current news, it is speculated that the fuel supply method of Yunyou-20 will still use a hose to refuel, and the fueling pod is hoisted on the wing of Yunyou-20, and the fuel hose is extended backward to fighters to carry out aerial refueling. In addition, according to the experience of other tankers, there will also be a refueling point located in the middle of the fuselage. In this way, Yunyou-20 can refuel three military aircraft at the same time.