I don't know where else to put this. But since this is about WS-13E & it is the alternative engine for FC-1, if not JF-17, this thread seems somewhat appropriate:
I came across this at SDF & this was shared by @minusone in one of the threads relating to J-35.
Google translate of the appropriate section:
First, Li Yang replaced the four-stage fan of the RD-33 with the three-stage fan of the original WS-12. The new fan shortened the length of the engine by 44 mm, increased the flow rate by 6 kg per second, and increased the maximum thrust to 9.06 tons (88.94KN). Moreover, the weight is lighter, and the new fan also increases the first-level impact resistance by more than ten times, and is more resistant to bird strikes. Here Klimov’s approach is completely different. It adjusts the original four-stage fan of the RD-33 based on optimization. This is the RD-33MK; the second step is to use a brand new jointly developed by Li Yang and Klimov. Low-pressure turbine, the new low-pressure turbine can increase the operating temperature by 70 degrees, and the work efficiency is also higher. Using this turbine can better realize the potential of the new three-stage fan. After the improvement, the maximum thrust is 9.28 tons (91.1KN). Here Klimov also switched to the WS-12 three-stage fan scheme, and the model launched with the new low-pressure turbine is the RD-33MKM; in the third step, Li Yang redesigned the new WS-12 combustion chamber based on the original WS-12 combustion chamber. Combustion chamber, the original RD-33 combustion chamber is too backward, lean fuel and rich combustion until the final efficiency is low, so there will always be thicker black smoke, modified the new combustion chamber WS-13 completely solved this problem, let the gas The distribution is more stable and uniform. The improvement of the combustion chamber can not increase the thrust, but it can greatly reduce fuel consumption and increase the engine life. In the fourth step, Klimov replaces the original directional solidification blades with single crystal turbine blades, which makes the working temperature of the turbine better. Increased by 50-70 degrees, the engine thrust reached 9.5 tons (94KN), the thrust-to-weight ratio was 8.6, the overhaul interval exceeded 1,000 hours, and the total life span exceeded 3,000 hours. The third and fourth steps were completed simultaneously by Li Yang and Klimov. The RD-33 has been improved to this step and has been completely new. The Russian model is RD-33MKN, equipped with Mig-35, and the Chinese model is WS-13E. Equipped with FC-1 and FC-31, WS-13E has successfully made its first flight with FC-31 demonstrator on July 1, 2016. Perhaps because of the use of a lot of the original WS-12 technology, perhaps because of his unwillingness to WS-12's untimely death, Li Yang insisted on naming WS-13 "Tianshan 21", especially after the word Tianshan. 21. This is the reverse of the original Tianshan WS-12 designation, which implies that this is a "reflexive battle". In Li Yang's eyes, this may also be due to the anger of the military abandoning Tianshan. Later, he became the deputy commander of the Air Force. Lieutenant General Ma Xiaotian directly intervened before changing the name of WS-13 to "Taishan".
If this is a credible source, then it seems that RD-93 MA & WS-13E have a lot in common & may be interchangeable. A few months ago I disclosed that a trusted source told me (in 2017) that JF-17 Block-III would likely use WS-13. I was skeptical then & now, but it may transpire that the gentleman was correct. I am still trying to keep an open mind about this.
