Chengdu J-20 news and analysis Part III

[paralay]

I guess the gaps matter. Almost monolithic, in front view, F-22 and F-35.
Su-57 is a movable part of the influx and a gap in the movable panel of the air intake. The slot of the front horizontal tail of the J-20

 

[VTOLicious]

On the F-22 the elevator is located directly behind the main wing, not below, like on the F-15 for instance. I assume this is a measure to reduce frontal RCS.

 

[flateric]

View: https://youtu.be/8zkT_e6CWB4?si=fInjiLcu3VaDljmo

 

[sferrin]

Any chance of a summary in English?

 

[Bounce]

Any chance of a summary in English?

One thing is no TVC in the future, he doesn't believe the J-20 needs it vs the effort etc.

 

[overscan (PaulMM)]

On the F-22 the elevator is located directly behind the main wing, not below, like on the F-15 for instance. I assume this is a measure to reduce frontal RCS.

View attachment 712491

I would say so. Lower is typically preferable from an aerodynamic perspective.

 

[TomcatViP]

For nose heavy plane, yes. For aircraft with an aft CG, this is not true anymore.

 

[AE220]

Any chance of a summary in English?

I tried but my Chinese is terrible and my attention span is worse.

hehe typo

 

[sferrin]

 

[AE220]

View attachment 714494

I would love to get a shot like that when I'm in china, unfortunately I've only seen cj-6s

 

[TomcatViP]

Conventional nozzles, no ram on top of the airframe, no apparent increased landing weight...
Probably a trainer airframe.

 

[Deino]

Conventional nozzles, no ram on top of the airframe, no apparent increased landing weight...
Probably a trainer airframe.

Just the second prototype … here are more images (not sure if recent ones however)

 

[sferrin]

 

[TMA1]

Thing is as smooth as a teflon pan (Which I have not ruined yet with metal utensils)

 

[siegecrossbow]

 

[Deino]

Cool image ... 14 J-20s from the 9th Air Brigade - the famous Wang Hai unit - and one ex-PLAN Su-30MK2 at Wuhu.

 

[snne]

Cool image ... 14 J-20s from the 9th Air Brigade - the famous Wang Hai unit - and one ex-PLAN Su-30MK2 at Wuhu.

good eyes! it took me a while to spot that Su-30

 

[siegecrossbow]

 

[Deino]

New prototype no. 2055 confirmed

 

[siegecrossbow]

New prototype no. 2055 confirmed

View attachment 722591View attachment 722592View attachment 722593View attachment 722594View attachment 722595View attachment 722596View attachment 722597View attachment 722598

Image is a bit blurry but even at this resolution you can’t see the silver band behind the nozzles you see in WS-10C. I think it is WS-15.

 

[FighterJock]

Any official news that it is the WS-15 engine on the 2055 J-20 prototype? If it is then the PLAAF will have the engine that they have always wanted to power the J-20.

 

[Deino]

Any official news that it is the WS-15 engine on the 2055 J-20 prototype? If it is then the PLAAF will have the engine that they have always wanted to power the J-20.

Im pretty sure and akin to the first two prototypes we won’t get any official confirmation… so day we’ll see them in operational grey with serial numbers and then we know it is ready. Best IMO to hope for are some news and clear images at the Zhuhai airshow in November.

 

[FighterJock]

So no official news until Zhuhai airshow, I can wait Deino.

 

[Blitzo]

Any official news that it is the WS-15 engine on the 2055 J-20 prototype? If it is then the PLAAF will have the engine that they have always wanted to power the J-20.

Well, two WS-15s powered prototype 2052 when it first flew mid 2023 last year (though of course not "officially confirmed" as this kind of news never is), so that milestone was achieved nine months ago.

The pictures aren't quite optimal, but it looks like prototype 2055 is similar to 2052 in terms of engine nozzle geometry, and it would make sense that further prototypes of J-20A would continue to be powered by WS-15s.

 

[Deino]

A J-20A landing at Chengdu AC airfield, unfortunately with the number not readable

https://twitter.com/x/status/1770330959851749654

View: https://twitter.com/sugar_wsnbn/status/1770330959851749654

 

[FighterJock]

Interesting Deino, pity the aircraft number was not visible for proper identification. No doubt sombody will release a better photo with the identification number visible in due course.

 

[siegecrossbow]

Clear-ish image of WS-15.

 

[FighterJock]

First time that I have seen a J-20 with twin WS-15 engines, I take it that the engine is nearly ready for full scale production?

 

[snne]

First time that I have seen a J-20 with twin WS-15 engines, I take it that the engine is nearly ready for full scale production?

we know that it has been in LRIP for a while...

 

[FighterJock]

So how many WS-15s will be produced before the engine enters production? And will all the J-20As that are currently in service get the engine as a block upgrade? Or will it only be fitted to the newer J-20s? I guess I have a lot of questions about this new engine.

 

[Blitzo]

First time that I have seen a J-20 with twin WS-15 engines, I take it that the engine is nearly ready for full scale production?

The first J-20 with twin WS-15s was serial 2052 from June last 2023, for those keeping tabs, it was posted here:

https://www.secretprojects.co.uk/threads/chengdu-j-20-news-and-analysis-part-iii.28479/page-34#post-606345

So how many WS-15s will be produced before the engine enters production? And will all the J-20As that are currently in service get the engine as a block upgrade? Or will it only be fitted to the newer J-20s? I guess I have a lot of questions about this new engine.

So regarding current nomenclature:
"J-20" refers to the existing in production variants powered by WS-10s (and very early initially by Al-31s for a batch or two)
"J-20A" refers to the new variant with the external differences being the revised dorsal hump, the beaked radome, and the WS-15s (though the first J-20A prototype serial 2051 was apparently fitted with WS-10s, but all other prototypes since then seem to be WS-15s)

I personally suspect WS-15s will only be fitted to J-20A airframes (the differences between J-20A and J-20 being more than merely what is external).

 

[FighterJock]

So what will happen to the J-20As that only have the WS-10s fitted will they be scrapped or find their way into museums after having all the RAM removed.

 

[Deino]

So what will happen to the J-20As that only have the WS-10s fitted will they be scrapped or find their way into museums after having all the RAM removed.

Why retiring and even more scrapping almost 300 more modern J-20s - even if still powered by two WS-10C engines - when there are still several unit flying J-7, J-8 and old Flankers?

 

[FighterJock]

That is what I am thinking too now Deino, I keep forgetting that the PLAAF still fly vintage J-7s and J-8s and the old Flanker series.