Shenyang WS-15 explained

The Shenyang WS-15, codename Emei, is a Chinese afterburning turbofan engine designed by the Shenyang Aeroengine Research Institute and manufactured by the Shenyang Liming Aircraft Engine Company.

The WS-15 is intended to power and enable supercruising on the J-20,[1] improve its maneuverability and range, and offers upgrade potentials for future weapon systems.[2]

Design and development

Development of the WS-15 afterburning turbofan engine began in the early 1990s. In 2005, the engine performed successfully on the testbed. An image of the core appeared at 2006 China International Aviation & Aerospace Exhibition. In 2009, a prototype achieved and a thrust-to-weight ratio of 9.[3] The thrust target was reported as in 2012.

In March 2022, Chinese state media reported that the J-20 had performed trials with the engine and experienced significantly improved performance.[4]

In December 2022, Chinese military analysts indicated the WS-15 was undertaking the last stage of testing and development. Chinese sources suggested the engine completed its maiden flight earlier that year on an unknown airframe.[5] In late December 2022, a prototype of the new J-20 variant was observed at Chengdu Aerospace Corporation facilities. The new variant was painted in yellow premier and different from previous J-20 aircraft in airframe and was speculated to be used to test the WS-15 engine and thrust-vectoring.[6] [7]

In March 2023, the executive of Aero Engine Corporation of China (AECC) announced the serial production of the WS-15 had started and China "[tackled] all technical bottlenecks" with the WS-15.[8] [9] FlightGlobal speculated that small-scale production run and in-flight testing with the J-20 fighter was underway.[10] On 29 June 2023, a J-20B equipped with dual WS-15 engines was speculated to have made its maiden flight in Chengdu.[11] Despite the lack of clear pictures, circumstantial evidence such as a photo of the engine installation ceremony, lack of censorship by the authorities, and modified airframe suggested the WS-15 was evidently mounted, though Janes noted the engines on trial apparently lacks the thrust vectoring control (TVC) paddles, which could be added later.[12] [13] [14]

Defense analysts and commentators noted WS-15 was intended to be the ultimate engine for the J-20, providing supercruise capability, enhanced reliability, improved maneuverability, better fuel efficiency and longer ranges, extra electricity production, and upgrade potential for the fighter. Spending several decades of development, the induction of the WS-15 into the Chinese military was seen as a technological leap in China's domestic aviation industry.[15] [16]

Guizhou incorporated many of the same technology as on the WS-15 to develop the WS-19, a 10-ton thrust engine with the same footprint as the earlier Guizhou WS-13.[17]

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. News: Chan . Minnie . Why China's first stealth fighter was rushed into service with inferior engines . South China Morning Post . 10 February 2018.
  2. Web site: China's New WS-15 Jet Engine Finally Enters Serial Production: How Will it Supercharge J-20 Stealth Fighters? . Military Watch Magazine . 27 March 2023 .
  3. Web site: October Surprises In Chinese Aerospace . Fisher . Richard Jr. . 30 December 2009 . International Assessment and Strategy Center . 28 May 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150813161423/http://www.strategycenter.net/research/pubID.219/pub_detail.asp . August 13, 2015 .
  4. Web site: Chan . Minnie . China's J-20 stealth fighters are getting an engine upgrade, source says . 15 March 2022 . 18 March 2022 . South China Morning Post . en.
  5. Web site: Is China's W-15 engine to power J-20 stealth fighter jet nearing completion? . South China Morning Post . 19 December 2022 . Minnie . Chan . 7 January 2023 . 7 January 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230107190422/https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3203866/chinas-w-15-engine-power-j-20-stealth-fighter-jet-nearing-completion . live .
  6. Web site: This Could Be Our First Glimpse Of China's Enhanced J-20 Stealth Fighter . The Drive . 23 December 2022 . Thomas . Newdick . 7 January 2023 . 7 January 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230107190420/https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/this-could-be-our-first-glimpse-of-chinas-enhanced-j-20-stealth-fighter . live .
  7. Web site: Alleged new variant of Chinese J-20 stealth fighter emerges . Air Data News . 27 December 2022 . Thiago . Vinholes . 7 January 2023 . 7 January 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230107190421/https://www.airdatanews.com/alleged-new-variant-of-chinese-j-20-stealth-fighter-emerges/ . live .
  8. Web site: China Seeks Superalloys, Supply Chain Boost For Military Engines . Aviation Week . 27 March 2023 . Chen . Chuanren .
  9. Web site: Chinese WS-15 engine prepared for mass production . Janes . 7 April 2023 . Akhil . Kadidal . Prasobh . Narayanan .
  10. Web site: Chinese executive hints at progress with J-20's new WS-15 engine . FlightGlobal . 27 March 2023 . Greg . Waldron .
  11. Web site: China's J-20 Fighter With Long-Awaited WS-15 Engines May Have Flown . The Drive . 29 June 2023 . Joseph . Trevithick .
  12. Web site: New CAC J-20 potentially powered by WS-15 engines . Janes . 3 July 2023 . Akhil . Kadidal .
  13. Web site: China puts advanced WS-15 engines through J-20 stealth fighter paces . South China Morning Post . 5 July 2023 . Minnie . Chan .
  14. Web site: China May Have Flown J-20 With Domestic WS-15 Engines . 30 June 2023 . Aviation Week .
  15. Web site: China's J-20 may have flown with new WS-15 engine . FlightGlobal . 4 July 2023 . Greg . Waldron .
  16. Web site: Footage surfaces of China testing a J-20 with twin WS-15 engines to rival the US . Interesting Engineering . 5 July 2023 . Christopher . McFadden.
  17. Web site: 中國渦輪-19發動機進度提前！ 航發總師曝 : 未來殲-35會比殲-20更早換裝. 曾品潔 . 2023-02-09 . Newtalk新闻 . zh-hant . 2023-02-26 .

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