In 1978, I was admitted to Harbin Institute of Technology

Chapter 311 The Air Force has taken a huge gamble this time, and Xie Wei feels his shoulders are too weak.

We absolutely must get the engine working!

Do it regardless of the cost.

Otherwise, no matter how advanced the fighter jet design is, it will be useless.

As long as the engine thrust is sufficient, issues such as excessive weight of the avionics system are not a problem; similarly, only when the engine power is sufficient can the fighter jet have true supersonic cruise capability and super maneuverability.

Xie Wei was clear from the beginning about which projects to allocate resources to once he started working on fighter jets.

The Air Force allocates 8000 million yuan annually, which seems like a lot, but for advanced fighter jets, it is undoubtedly a drop in the ocean.

别的不说，就拿眼前的涡扇-6研发费用说事吧，从项目开始一直到最后终止研发，累计使用经费1.2亿。同时期的F100研发耗资11亿美元；法国M53耗资6.99亿美元；英国RB199耗资6.6亿美元。

Although the exchange rate between RMB and USD was at most 1:1.5 during this period, and mostly around 1:1, the problem is that no matter how you calculate it, the cost of foreign engines is several times that of domestic ones.

Under these circumstances, the performance parameters of the WS-6 are also much better than those of the M53 and RB199.

The only issues are stability and reliability.

"General Manager Zhang proposed to the higher-ups that we should take ten years to improve stability and reliability. This is essential. We should continuously improve and troubleshoot after small-batch production, and then continue production and improvement... The Air Force desperately needs a turbofan engine right now. If the problem cannot be solved after ten years..."

Xie Wei sighed.

He knew that Liu Debao couldn't understand, and he also understood the Air Force's helplessness.

Even though the F100 engine in the United States caused multiple crashes and fatalities after being delivered to the military, the F-15 remained the queen of the hangar for a long time, and the F-16 was grounded on a large scale.

It wasn't until 84 that the F100 engine finally stabilized.

"Alright, alright, I don't understand the technical stuff, I'll take care of the logistics for you."

Liu Debao was completely bewildered.

All he needs to think about is money.

If the school's projects lack funding, which affects the research and development of related technologies by the Seventh Ministry of Machinery Industry, the higher authorities will only come after him.

"Colonel Yulihua is coming to the school tomorrow and specifically mentioned that he wants to talk to you about something. When would you be available tomorrow?"

The two had just come out of the aviation building when they ran into Zhang Mingqiu, who had come specifically to find Xie Wei.

Is Yulihua coming?
He wants to talk to me about something?

He even specifically asked Zhang Mingqiu to tell him when he would have time.

A series of question marks appeared in Xie Wei's mind.

He had intended to ask Zhang Mingqiu if he knew the inside story, but seeing his expression, he didn't bother to ask anymore.

"The heads of factories 132 and 112 will be coming to the school to hold a seminar soon, so you may have to take a few days off."

Before Xie Wei could process the news that You Lihua was coming, Zhang Mingqiu told him another piece of news.

Xie Wei frowned. "Why do I suddenly have to be involved in all these things? Even if the school is in charge, shouldn't it be the school's leaders who are responsible? Even the donkeys in the production team get rest during the busy farming season, right?"

He was genuinely unhappy.

Does this guy think he's a donkey in the production team?

On the other hand, apart from working a little more during the busy farming season, the production team assigned special people to take care of the donkeys on ordinary days, for fear of tiring them out.

Are they tired enough already?
"Don't look at me like that. It's an order from above. Besides, I didn't even know that the heads of units like 112 and 132 were coming to the school for some kind of seminar... Their visit won't bring the school any benefit, and we'll have to arrange for their hospitality!"

Zhang Mingqiu also had considerable complaints about this.

Because he was not involved in military research projects, he was unaware of the details of Project No. 10.

Liu Debao didn't tell him the details, only that the school's fighter jet project would enter the formal development stage, which Principal Zhang opposed.

Unfortunately, Xie Wei supported the project, so his opposition had to be kept to himself and not expressed.

"..."

Xie Wei looked at Liu Debao, but Secretary Liu turned his head to look out the window without saying a word.

The next day, Xie Wei personally went to the station to pick up You Lihua.

"Sir, you didn't mention it when you were watching the target practice over there, but you came all this way specifically for it. Could it be related to the target practice?"

Xie Wei has become familiar with You Lihua now, and the initial awkwardness has disappeared.

"Forget it! If this had happened before, would I have wasted my time making this trip?"

Yu Lihua looked at Xie Wei with displeasure. "You're the one who caused this mess. You don't think it has nothing to do with you and don't want to care about anything, do you? Like you said before, you're only responsible for killing and not for burying?"

Do you care about killing or burying?
When did I say that?

Xie Wei looked at You Lihua with a completely bewildered expression.

"You requested the management methods for complex engineering systems; you also proposed unifying military standards for military industrial units across the country. Currently, no one has any experience with this, yet you just make the suggestions and then ignore everything else?"

Yuli Hua looked at Xie Wei with icy eyes.

If he could, he wanted to beat Xie Wei hard with a rolling pin.

"This has nothing to do with me, right? Besides, this is just a suggestion. It was the higher-ups who saw the current problems and decided to do it... I'm just a student."

Xie Wei immediately realized that Yu Lihua had come with ill intentions.

Is he going to have to add more burdens to his thin shoulders again?
"Students? Forget it!"

Yu Lihua gave Xie Wei a look that seemed to pity someone with intellectual disabilities. "Do you really think nobody knows what's going on with you at school? You're a section chief or deputy director-level official, serving as the director of the school's Industry-University-Research Office and the deputy director of the School-Enterprise Office. Your word carries more weight than Principal Zhang's or Secretary Liu's in all sorts of school projects. And now you're telling me you're a student?"

"Uh……"

Xie Wei wanted to say that the school had only assigned him a temporary position, but in reality, the Industry-University-Research Office still didn't even have an office location; the School-Enterprise Office was even more disorganized, and currently didn't even have a person in charge.

The school gave him this position to make things easier later on.

However, Xie Wei is a beneficiary of this situation, which cannot be denied.

"The higher-ups mean you'll be temporarily assigned to the Commission of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense, but you won't hold a direct position. You'll just receive an advisory title, at the deputy division level... Your main role will be to provide reasonable suggestions regarding the management methods of complex engineering systems and the construction process of military standards, in order to avoid problems..."

Yuli Hua didn't waste any words.

Deputy division chief level!
In the capital city, such a level is nothing special.

For someone of Xie Wei's age, having a resume at the deputy division level of the Commission of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense would mean limitless potential for future development.

Xie Wei was about to object, but was glared at by You Lihua, so he could only shut up awkwardly.

"This is a decision made by those above, not something to discuss with you."

Yu Lihua's words were so domineering that Xie Wei had no intention of refuting them.

"You don't need to worry about anything. There's no experience in reform and opening up; everyone is feeling their way across the river. At least you have a much deeper understanding of this than many others. If you weren't currently still in a learning phase, and if Comrade Li Rui and the Seventh Ministry of Machine Building hadn't strongly opposed it, the General Staff would have wanted to transfer you to the Policy Department of the Commission of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense..."

"..."

Xie Wei decisively chose to remain silent. It wouldn't be a good thing if his reputation reached the ears of higher-ups.

I'm so young. If I were to actually take a deputy division-level position in the Commission of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense, I might make a mistake someday.

It's fine as it is now.

They have the right to make suggestions, but they don't have to bear any responsibility.

Who knows, they might even get an extra deputy director-level salary, which wouldn't be a small amount.

"This visit isn't just about complex engineering systems management methods, nor is it solely about military standards. It also concerns Project Ten..."

Project No. 10?

Is there a problem?
Xie Wei looked puzzled.

Since Yu Lihua brought it up, he no longer believed that the higher-ups' attitude was due to a lack of strategic vision among the Air Force and military leadership, who were only thinking about importing technology from abroad.

"You've been in contact with Zhang Enhe, haven't you?"

Yu Lihua asked Xie Wei seriously.

Xie Wei looked at his serious expression and remained silent, waiting for You Lihua to continue.

"The performance parameters of the WS-6 turbofan engine are accurate, but problems such as excessive engine weight, unreasonable structure, and short service life have always existed..."

Everyone knows about this.

Xie Wei didn't understand what You Lihua was trying to say for a moment.

The technical data of the WS-6 turbofan engine was obtained when the school started its research in this area, and it has maintained close contact and cooperation with Liming Engine Factory. The school's engine team has been studying the WS-6 for so long, so they are naturally clear about it.

Yulihua specifically brought this up, so it must not be a simple issue.

"Do you know the performance parameters of the WS-6G?"

Xie Wei nodded.

"Have you ever visited the Liming Engine Factory or the 606 Institute for on-site inspections?"

Xie Wei was stunned.

Where would I find the time to go?

Besides, Li Rui was initially in charge of this matter, and then Liu Debao took over. Although he had a certain say in the school's project construction, he was ultimately not the supervisor.

In what capacity should I go?

"It's practically impossible to develop the WS-6G turbofan engine!"

what?
These words left Xie Wei even more bewildered.

Is it impossible to develop the WS-6G turbofan engine?

"Zhang Enhe probably didn't tell you how many problems the WS-6 is currently facing, right? The entire engine wasn't built according to scientific design principles, but rather forced to meet design specifications. As a result, this engine is not only overweight, but its service life is also shockingly short..."

The inside story that You Lihua told Xie Wei was something he hadn't considered before.

Even after obtaining the technology from the Liming Engine Factory, there were R&D personnel from there involved. Because he would be surrounded by people asking for funding as soon as he went there, he rarely went to the engine project.

The inside story that Yulihua is telling him is somewhat shocking to his understanding.

"And the WS-6G only reached its design specifications in October. You know its lifespan, and it has quite a few malfunctions..."

"If that's the case, why doesn't the military just cancel the project like other projects, instead of demanding that the WS-6 be further modified?"

Xie Wei doesn't understand this.

In his original world, because he wasn't involved, he couldn't possibly understand the feelings of high-ranking military and related personnel when they signed off on the cancellation of those cutting-edge defense and military industrial projects.

The industrial base is weak, supporting facilities are inadequate, and funds are scarce.

Only by getting involved and understanding the inside story can one realize how correct the decision was to shut down these projects: when the national economy has not developed and the economic foundation is very poor, if we insist on carrying out some high-tech and cutting-edge projects with inadequate supporting facilities and extremely demanding design indicators, it will not only squeeze out the funds for national economic infrastructure construction, but also follow the old path of the Soviet Union!

Although the Soviet Union is now stronger than the United States, problems have already emerged—heavy industry is developed, but light industry is lagging behind, and the entire country's wealth has been invested in the military industry, and an economic crisis has long existed.

A simple example is that, in order to build a global satellite positioning and navigation system ahead of the United States, the Soviet Union launched satellites at an alarming rate, even though it knew that its electronic and communication technologies were lagging behind and that the satellites had an absurdly short lifespan.

This is also the root cause of the Americans launching the PowerPoint-based Star Wars program.
Ultimately, the Soviet Union collapsed.

Even after the Tiangong-1 International Space Station was completed, the Americans still didn't have their own space station; now that China has established a lunar base, the Americans can't even hope to build a base themselves, let alone expect China to provide them with lunar soil...

Xie Wei knew the inside story.

The problem is that many more important projects were cancelled. Despite knowing the problems with the WS-6 turbofan engine, the military still allowed the WS-6 to continue its development until 84!
"The Air Force needs a high-thrust turbofan engine! Although the Spey engine technology was fully imported, without any experience and without any technical guidance from the British, the localization of the Spey engine is still very difficult. Even the assembly of the parts they provide is difficult to complete..."

Yuli Hua sighed.

Xie Wei understood.

Just like when the production technology for the Su-27 was first introduced.

Even with a complete set of blueprints and all the spare parts provided by the Russians, the Su-27s assembled in China at the beginning were almost never allowed to take to the skies!
The excessive weight of the Su-27's radar resulted in very poor air balance, a point that Russia didn't mention at all when it sold the aircraft. It wasn't discovered until the domestic assembly process, and in the end, it took a long time to add weight to the tail section...

This resulted in the entire fighter jet being overweight. To solve the weight problem, the only solution during the manufacturing process was to drill holes in the fuselage to reduce the weight.

Under such circumstances, the structural strength of the domestically produced Su-27 is questionable.

In the air, let alone performing high-G maneuvers like the Cobra maneuver, pilots don't even dare to do basic maneuvers like the roll.

It wasn't until the radar problem was solved domestically that the domestically produced Su-27 was upgraded from the original J-11 to the J-11B, and finally the J-16 was developed based on this, that this fighter jet truly possessed advanced performance.

The J-16, apart from its somewhat similar appearance, has far surpassed the Su-27 in technology.

"That's why the military continues to provide funding, hoping to develop a high-thrust turbofan engine... Previously, the hope was very slim, but after seeing your proposed core engine plan, coupled with your complex engineering management methods and unified standards, the military has rekindled its hope for domestically produced turbofan engines..."

"This……"

Xie Wei never expected that Yu Lihua had come for the turbofan engine!

The reason he was given a temporary post at the Commission of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense was definitely not just for the sake of national military standards and complex engineering management methods...

"Sir, my shoulders are very weak..."

Xie Wei was helpless.

The Air Force is taking a gamble!

I'm betting that the school can finally solve the turbofan engine problem and develop a truly usable turbofan engine.

If Yulihua hadn't explained the background to him, he wouldn't have felt any pressure.

But now...

In the original world, the WS-10 Taihang engine project was initiated in 87, and it wasn't until the second decade of the 21st century that all the problems were truly solved.

A problem that took more than 20 years to solve.

Now it's being dumped on your own head?
(End of this chapter)