Transition to Domestic Aeronautical Engines:
China has marked a significant milestone by discontinuing its purchases of Russian aviation engines and entering an era where it now relies on 100% domestically-produced aircraft engines. The notable “Taihang” engine has reached full operational status, making China one of the very few nations globally that can independently develop advanced turbofan engines with high thrust and low bypass ratio for military applications.
According to reports from Russian Sputnik News Agency, China’s primary military aircraft have phased out Russian aviation engines, heralding China’s shift to a completely indigenous aeronautical engine era.
Domestication of the J-15 Carrier-Based Aircraft:
Recent reports from the CCTV Military Channel have highlighted that the new batch of the Chinese Navy’s J-15 carrier-based aircrafts are now equipped with domestic WS-10 turbofan engines instead of the traditionally used Russian AL-31F engines. This move to integrate domestic engines into the new J-15s is unprecedented.
This year marks the 14th anniversary of the maiden flight of the J-15 carrier-based aircraft. On August 31, 2009, the J-15, nicknamed “Flying Shark,” took to the skies, achieving its first test flight and landing. This breakthrough took the People’s Navy from zero to establishing a robust foundation for its blue-water aspirations.
However, until recently, the J-15 was powered by imported Russian AF-31F engines. This was largely due to the challenging maritime combat environment and the rigorous demands for engine stability on aircraft carriers. The engines for such aircraft usually require special modifications, especially enhanced corrosion resistance. The integration of the domestic WS-10 “Taihang” engine signifies the culmination of China’s efforts to achieve self-reliance in this domain.
Historical Reliance on Russian Engines:
The Russian AF-31F engine played a crucial role in advancing China’s aerial combat capabilities. In the 1990s, China imported these engines as interim solutions due to domestic technology lagging. These engines were fitted into various Chinese-made aircraft like the J-10, J-11, and J-15. Even some of the earlier batches of the fifth-generation J-20 stealth fighters employed Russian engines.
Russian aviation engines were prized for their reliability and stability, though they were often criticized for being relatively rudimentary. However, through dedicated efforts, China managed to extend the service life of the Russian AL-31F from 900 hours to 1,500 hours, nearly doubling its longevity.
Russia has always been protective of its aeronautical engine technologies. For instance, in 2013, Russia made it clear they had never considered transferring the AL-31F engine technology to China. This protective stance made it imperative for China to develop its own high-thrust aeronautical engine technology, diminishing its dependency on Russia.
Importing Russian turbofan engines provided China with the breathing space to develop its engines. With two decades of persistent efforts, China has matured its WS-10 “Taihang” engine and has even surpassed the performance of the Russian AL-31F. China’s progress was further emphasized with the integration of the fifth-generation WS-15 engine into the J-20B fighter jet, positioning China as a leader in this technological area, even ahead of Russia.
Towards Complete Indigenization:
China’s reliance on Russian engines has dramatically decreased over the years. Since 2016, China has not purchased the AL-31F series engines from Russia, emphasizing the rapid advancements of the domestic WS-10 engine.
Aircraft such as the J-11 and J-16 began using the WS-10 engines around 2017. In recent aviation shows, pilots of the J-20 fighters publicly acknowledged flying versions powered by domestic engines, a clear testament to the rise of China’s military technological prowess.
In a broader context, aviation engines are considered more strategic and complex than even nuclear weapons. The capability to independently develop exceptional aviation engines is a crucial benchmark of an industrial powerhouse. Globally, only a few nations can claim such achievements: China, the USA, the UK, France, and Russia. Even fewer, namely China, the USA, and Russia, can produce fifth-generation military turbofan engines.
As the current Russian AL-31 series engines reach their end of life, China’s Air Force will phase out the last batches of Russian aviation engines, replacing them with domestic alternatives, marking a complete transition to the indigenous engine era. With the J-20B equipped with the newer WS-15 engine, China is well poised to be at the forefront of global fifth-generation fighter capabilities.
Source: Keda Fenghuo
