The D-18T is too big for a 4-engine configuration - it might have worked as an interim engine in a twinjet layout (roughly same thrust as 4 D-30KP, though engine-out performance could be a limitation), but then they'd have had to design the wing to accept both 2 and 4 (WS-20) engine configs. This is doable - A330/340 - but not trivial.
China's transport, tanker & heavy lift aircraft
- Thread starter Totoro
- Start date
Not making sense to ONLY you perhaps. Weapon is not a toy for show, or for vanity. F-117 was never seen in a show except dropping bombs in real combat, was the USAF not confident?
Y-20 is not for sale until PLAF has got enough number of it. Domestic engine could be one reason, but not the decisive one. By the time XAC has any surplus production capability, WS-20 would have matured.
You should ask the show organizers. Not PLA or me.
Y-20 is not meant for export either (as of today). BTW, who said Y-20 is meant for export anyway? Netizens?
The whole point is "don't project your own or netizens thinking/expectations on PLA, PLA is not a Co. Ltd., their weapon is not a toy for sale or for show."
What in the world are you talking about? The PLA also doesn't send its ZTZ-99 tank abroad ... do you think China has less confidence in it vs the ZTZ-96B? Same thing goes for the JH-7A : why not just send a J-16? These competitions are more about technical skills of the crew rather than technology, hence the reason why both China and Russia don't send their top-of-the-line weaponry there. Is it really necessary to conjure up the most pessimistic scenario before considering any others?
WS-20 is going to be installed late this year or early next year on the Y-20
It makes no sense to not put Y-20 to export. All major transport planes are exported (except c-5 AFAIK). Why shouldnt it?
AFAIK, the issue of the tank biatlon has to do with weight. No, i dont think that china has less confidance in ztz-99 tank. It has been used for a lot of years. Besides, you cant compare a tank with a plane.
As for the j-16/jh-7a, i know very little of china´s attack planes. But even so, JH-7A is in service for much longer than j-16. I could just argue that indeed china has less confidence in j-16 than in JH-7A, but i have no real idea about it.
TerraN_EmpirE
Tyrant King
Off Topic but:
End of Day it's up to the PLA to choose when they want to show off the Y20 in major airshows. Y20 seems like it would be a great offering for export but it's up to the PRC leadership as to when that happens, and it's not normally done until the production line has reached a certain maturity so as to have covered the indigenous needs.
Actually the F117 did fly a number of US and UK Air shows.
Actually there was a offering for the F117B to the UK, a modification of the F117N concept which was offered to the USN.
End of Day it's up to the PLA to choose when they want to show off the Y20 in major airshows. Y20 seems like it would be a great offering for export but it's up to the PRC leadership as to when that happens, and it's not normally done until the production line has reached a certain maturity so as to have covered the indigenous needs.
kwaigonegin
Colonel
I think it will once the design is more mature, it's used and proven by PLAAF etc. and proper engines mounted. Give it a few more years. One thing about transports is unlike fighters or other specilized aircraft (where is will become obsolete withing a couple of Gen), the airframe design itself is pretty much timeless so there will be plenty of opportunity for the export market in the coming years even decades.