Hmmm ... I cannot believe they are purchasing the RD-93??? So could he mean a "Russian-based" one??
So similar to the AL-31FN-varaint in the J-20A the WS-13E/RD-93 at first and then the WS-19???
Chinese Engine Development
- Thread starter jackbh
- Start date
Hmmm ... I cannot believe they are purchasing the RD-93??? So could he mean a "Russian-based" one??
So similar to the AL-31FN-varaint in the J-20A the WS-13E/RD-93 at first and then the WS-19???
SinoSoldier
Colonel
He stated that the initial engine units will be bought, so that rules out the WS-13E.
I thought the FC-31 was already equipped with WS-13? I think he means WS-13 because it is technically a copy of the RD-93 (and therefore a "Russian system"). WS-19 should be the domestic variant. Buying Russian RD-93s would seem counterproductive at this point ...
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SinoSoldier
Colonel
A technology demonstrator was equipped with the WS-13, doesn't mean production units will be.
But that could then only be a RD-93 of some variant and would "prove" that the WS-13 and even -13E is still not suited?!
SinoSoldier
Colonel
Presumably so, although it could simply be that the WS-13/E has not been certified for mass production or naval use yet.
In another thread, Sinosoldier or Klon posted a bunch of comments by gongke101 which said the original WS-13 was getting readied for export. The WS-13E, in the meantime, got picked up by the PLANAF.
This leaves us with a few conclusions:
- The WS-13 is mature enough for export
- The PLA would rather import than use said WS-13s
- WS-13E is not yet ready for mass adoption
Could be, as those initial WS13, even if mature enough, have quite a small market right now and are to be produced in very small series. Which would suggest their price may be quite a bit higher than any RD-93.
Still, it'd be nice to actually see WS13 installed in ANY operational, non-developmental, airframe. Until we get to see that, most talk about WS13 seems like hearsay.
Still, it'd be nice to actually see WS13 installed in ANY operational, non-developmental, airframe. Until we get to see that, most talk about WS13 seems like hearsay.
Even if slow serial production of WS-13x is at a greater financial cost to batch produced RD-93s, it is buying a domestic product over an exported military product which means several things; the money spent on purchasing WS-13x only serves to improve costs over the long term, RD-93 price for China will be more than RD-93 price for RuAF customer so how much cheaper can it realistically be? and finally spending the money on WS-13 even if it is significantly more expensive than Russian alternative at no real quality improvement means at least that money is being used on supporting a domestic military product. If the rumour of using foreign engine is true, it probably means WS-13 does not measure up to that foreign alternative in some important way/s. Perhaps the decision to go down that path (assuming this contradictory rumour is true) was made with the plan of eventually switching to WS-19 or whatever the expected final engine is when it is ready. After all they used Al-31 for J-20s only until recently swtiching to WS-10x.
On a side note, do current JF-17s use WS-13 or RD-93? I recall reading ages ago that production has switched over to using WS-13. If this is true and I haven't misremembered, then surely it would suggest that WS-13 is at least reliable enough to use and the issue is not reliability, rather some parameter of performance?