I agree, filling the need for 15th is the first priority.
China's transport, tanker & heavy lift aircraft
- Thread starter Totoro
- Start date
The C929 is a wide-body airliner, and I don't think any military is using such large planes in the tanker or AEW roles. And of course the C919 will have all sorts of restrictions on its use, especially as a military plane. I think the Russian planes could be converted to other uses besides transport, but they would not have been built ground up for these uses and their airframe lives would also be significantly less than a new build Y-20 variant. I'm not saying that Y-20 won't first be built for its primary transport role, but I think eventually this type will be branched out for those uses. Unless the C919 can be completely indigenized, the Chinese military doesn't have a lot of choices.
C919 is relatively small for military applications (AWACS, tanker); C929 would be somewhat larger than E-767, KC-767, which are based on B767-200ER. C929 is likely about the size between 767-300ER or 767-400ER, which have MTOW of 186 or 204 tons respectively. Y-20, on the other hand, has MTOW of 220 tons. So on balance C929 is a better choice for military use than Y-20, even if it's not of ideal size.
MwRYum
Major
Boeing 767 is a wide body airliner and it spawned at least 2 military variants - E-767 and KC-767 (which spawned the KC-46A) so your argument is invalid. Ok, maritime patrol use 737 airframe to develop into the P-8.
But of course, in order for C919 or even C929 to have a shot in military variants, the first priority will be solving the foreign supplier issues with indigenous suppliers to provide 100% of the components.
There is a military version of the Airbus 330 that is used as strategic transport as well as aerial refueller. .
If the civilian version of C929 has Western engines that are not allowed to be used on a military aircraft and a Chinese engine is not yet available then there will be a Russian engine available. No doubt when choosing the size of the aircraft that will be one of the considerations.
MwRYum
Major
The CJ-1000A high-bypass turbofan engine is supposedly be the alternative to CFM LEAP engine, if the project delivers what their advertisement materials said. Given its time frame for certification at 2025, that's about the similar period with what the C919 project's goal for full indigenous components. As far as platform goes, that should be enough time to make the C919 airframe mature enough, as well as to establish a healthy supplies sources for cost effectiveness.
Oh yes, I forgot about the E767 and KC767 (and didn't even know about the military Airbus 330). That does leave us with the rest of the tankers, AEW and maritime patrol planes in the world, which are based off of narrow-body airliners. Also, one needs to consider the timeline of the C929, which according to current projections is going to debut around the middle of the next decade, and if ARJ21 and C919 are any indicator, this date will probably slip. Not only that, like the C919 the C929 will need to be completely indigenous or Russian-made, which is not guaranteed at all. Or at least become completely indigenized at some unknown point in the future. I think the PLAAF needs these variants sooner than that. The Y-20 is already in service and precedent is already set for transport planes to be modified for other uses. China already has experience with these mods (IL-78, KJ-2000), so it would be a very natural and easily managed step to take.
MwRYum
Major
That's because Y20 ain't as big a fuselage as the C-17, so in order to maximise the cargo carrying volume, the wing box will have to sit above the internal cargo hold, inside that hump. So long as the aerodynamics design of the hump is done right, there'd be very little in terms of drag to worry of.