Chengdu J-20 5th Generation Aircraft News & Discussions

[siegecrossbow]

What thrust class is the WS 15 supposed to be in?

F-119 class.

 

[LKJ86]

Via CCTV and @沉默的山羊 from Weibo

 

[Deino]

Wow ... one one of the clearest images of a WS-10C powered J-20A.

And as per image data by the photographer it was taken already on 7th July 2019.

(Image by YY.Li via Airliners.com)

And again some J-20 rumours ... here is another image showing a J-20 with what appears to be a TVC-nozzle; at least it looks as if the nozzle is dropping. Some say it is the WS-15 but it could also be the WS-10B-3.

At least it seems to be taken at the CAC facility.

(Image credits as per right bottom of the picture)

 

[ZeEa5KPul]

And again some J-20 rumours ... here is another image showing a J-20 with what appears to be a TVC-nozzle; at least it looks as if the nozzle is dropping. Some say it is the WS-15 but it could also be the WS-10B-3.

At least it seems to be taken at the CAC facility.

(Image credits as per right bottom of the picture)

View attachment 757693

The image is too grainy to tell, but that nozzle looks stubbier than the WS-10B TVC. This could be a picture of the WS-15 single engine integration test that was rumoured to take place in September 2019.

 

[Deino]

The image is too grainy to tell, but that nozzle looks stubbier than the WS-10B TVC. This could be a picture of the WS-15 single engine integration test that was rumoured to take place in September 2019.

WS-15 in September 2019?? From what I know the WS-15 was said to be „eventually ready for integration“ but a WS-10B3 TVC was installed.

 

[ZeEa5KPul]

WS-15 in September 2019?? From what I know the WS-15 was said to be „eventually ready for integration“ but a WS-10B3 TVC was installed.

Huitong had a rumour about it on his blog that he recently removed. I discuss this here

Chengdu J-20 5th Generation Aircraft News & Discussions

How reliable is this? Most of us were expecting 2023 at the earliest. This is looking more and more like the real deal. I expect a lot of fake stuff to be posted around now, like the image of the WS-10B TVC "implying" that it's the WS-15, but I believe the core rumour (a test flight with two...

defence.pk

 

[siegecrossbow]

Wow ... one one of the clearest images of a WS-10C powered J-20A.

And as per image data by the photographer it was taken already on 7th July 2019.

(Image by YY.Li via Airliners.com)

View attachment 757691


And again some J-20 rumours ... here is another image showing a J-20 with what appears to be a TVC-nozzle; at least it looks as if the nozzle is dropping. Some say it is the WS-15 but it could also be the WS-10B-3.

At least it seems to be taken at the CAC facility.

(Image credits as per right bottom of the picture)

View attachment 757693

Original OP implies that it was taken from the roof of a car for a better view. Unless there is obvious evidence of photo tampering I think that it is age to say that this image is legit.

However, this only raises more questions. Since the left engine nozzle is not drooping, does this mean that it is using a non-TVC nozzle/engine? What is the TVC engine? Is it WS-15 as speculated or WS-10 TVC. I think that if only one engine was installed, the evidence points overwhelmingly to WS-15 since China has already fielded WS-10 J-20. No reason to only change one nozzle for TVC related tests.

 

[bshifter]

When i posted about the WS-15 recently some bratwurst would label it as stupid exaggerated claim, now look at that moron getting hyped by some rumour tweet.

 

[PakFactor]

Wow ... one one of the clearest images of a WS-10C powered J-20A.

And as per image data by the photographer it was taken already on 7th July 2019.

(Image by YY.Li via Airliners.com)

View attachment 757691


And again some J-20 rumours ... here is another image showing a J-20 with what appears to be a TVC-nozzle; at least it looks as if the nozzle is dropping. Some say it is the WS-15 but it could also be the WS-10B-3.

At least it seems to be taken at the CAC facility.

(Image credits as per right bottom of the picture)

View attachment 757693

It looks clear the right nozzle is dropping.

 

[Deino]

When i posted about the WS-15 recently some bratwurst would label it as stupid exaggerated claim, now look at that moron getting hyped by some rumour tweet.

It's always nice to have a honest and open minded discussion with an educated and eloquent member

As such I'm a bit surprised that you took a kind question to prove your claim that "WS-15 batch 3 already revealed, flight test performed ..." by providing a source.
Even more your post claimed it already flew, which was by all accounts WRONG nor that there is a hint that there is something like a batch 3, that this is actually the real WS-15 and not the WS-10B3 and even more there is nothing that makes 300 J-20s in 5 years - or an annual production rate of 60 J-20s likely or reasonable.

As such, still a claim, big words and nothing more ....

 

[ZeEa5KPul]

As such I'm a bit surprised that you took a kind question to prove your claim that "WS-15 batch 3 already revealed, flight test performed ..." by providing a source.

Source for the Batch 3:

Chinese Engine Development

Must have test fired the TBCC, wonder how long until the first test flight? Incidentally, didn't Henri K mention that another Chinese research institute had successfully flown a TBCC last month?

www.sinodefenceforum.com

As for the source of the test flight, huitong had a post that he recently removed where he clearly stated that the rumoured test flight took place in September 2019. I remember the rumours circulating at the time (some people thought the WS-15 was mounted on a J-11).
If you'd like another source for the test flight, take a close look at the picture you just posted.
What's unreasonable about 60 J-20s being produced per year 5 years after it entered service? Current annual production of the F-35 is 100+ units per year.

 

[Deino]

Source for the Batch 3:

Chinese Engine Development

Must have test fired the TBCC, wonder how long until the first test flight? Incidentally, didn't Henri K mention that another Chinese research institute had successfully flown a TBCC last month?

www.sinodefenceforum.com

As for the source of the test flight, huitong had a post that he recently removed where he clearly stated that the rumoured test flight took place in September 2019. I remember the rumours circulating at the time (some people thought the WS-15 was mounted on a J-11).
If you'd like another source for the test flight, take a close look at the picture you just posted.
What's unreasonable about 60 J-20s being produced per year 5 years after it entered service? Current annual production of the F-35 is 100+ units per year.

Thanks a lot for this post, I completely missed that one albeit I'm quite sceptical with the claim of a WS-15 being test-flown in/on a J-20 since in this post you mentioned, it says:

The conclusion I get from this is we should expect a first flight of the WS-15 aboard the Il-76LL testbed within two years, quite possibly occurring this year.

As such a likely first flight in 2019 on an Il-76LL testbed is unlikely to proceed already to a flight in a J-20 within the same year. Even more timeline-wise it fits nicely to other reports stating a WS-10B3 with TVC was to be tested "soon" ... IMO much more likely than a WS-15 already in 2019.

Anyway, time will tell and thanks again.

 

[LKJ86]

Via @凰天霸 from Weibo

 

[LKJ86]

 

[LKJ86]

Via @航空军视-河马Liujun from Weibo