Rebirth of the 1980s: The Military Industry Empire

Everyone widened their eyes, looking at Qin Yang with incredulous gazes.

What was President Qin just saying? He would actually support the development of a third-generation turbofan?

Qin Yang's position in the military industry is becoming increasingly important, and everyone is constantly studying Qin Yang's personality. This person talks about fair competition every day, but in reality, it's all nonsense.

Look how much he cares for the third-tier bases, but he looks down on the old industrial bases, especially the Northern Institute.

Now, in this meeting, Qin Yang is fully supporting the 611 Institute. The early research and development of the 611 Institute was all arranged with Qin Yang's help. Qin Yang has always been stepping on the Northern Institute.

How could someone like him support Shenyang's project?

After a moment of shock, Engineer Zhang asked incredulously: "President Qin, did you just say that you are willing to support our third-generation turbofan project?"

"That's right. Although we now have the WS-10, this engine is only a temporary emergency measure and is not enough to support the future of our air force," Qin Yang said. "No matter how much we invest, no matter how long it takes, our domestic aviation industry needs to have its own third-generation turbofan with a thrust-to-weight ratio exceeding 8 and a maximum thrust exceeding 120 kilonewtons. Only then can our war eagles truly take off."

The WS-10 is a copy of the M53. Qin Yang's choice of this engine was carefully considered.

Using existing domestic aero engine technology, coupled with the advanced processing technology learned from the introduction of the Spey, it is enough to handle the copying of the M53. The WS-10 has become a reliable power source for the Tomcat and also the engine for the 611 Institute's new fighter project.

However, this engine only solves the problem of having something. If we want our domestic fighters to truly take off, we need a more advanced high-thrust engine!

The empty weight of the Tomcat fighter is close to twenty tons. Only two engines with a thrust of more than twelve tons can allow the Tomcat fighter to achieve an overall thrust-to-weight ratio of more than 1 with three tons of internal fuel and one ton of weapons.

For the new fighter project, it can also give the fighter a more powerful combat capability!

"That's right, only by developing a brand-new third-generation turbofan can we support the future of the air force!" Engineer Zhang was very excited. "President Qin, with your support, our third-generation turbofan can be launched! What are your thoughts on the research and development of this project? We want to map and copy the core engine of the CFM56. What do you think?"

"Mapping and copying can take shortcuts, but it cannot support us in moving towards the future," Qin Yang said. "I personally recommend forward development, researching and developing one level at a time. First, develop the core engine. After having the core engine, then combine it with an outer bypass duct to form engines for different purposes."

In later generations, the Taihang engine developed by the 606 Institute followed this route of mapping and copying, wanting to use the core engine of the CFM56 and then combine it with an outer bypass duct to develop the engine as soon as possible.

But is it really faster?

Not to mention the pre-research, the project was officially launched in 1987, and it was finalized at the end of 2005, which is close to twenty years! If the J-10 was waiting for this engine, it would definitely have the same fate as the J-9.

Even if the design is finalized, no troops are willing to accept the J-11 equipped with the Taihang. The troops prefer to use the AL-31F, and the Taihang can only be returned for further improvement. After another ten years, when the single-engine J-10 began to be equipped, the Taihang can be considered truly mature.

The Taihang engine should be considered thirty years to forge a sword. Mapping and copying is easy to put on the test bench, but truly maturing is extremely difficult!

If you calculate the time, forward development can also be done. Therefore, Qin Yang advocates forward development more.

Engineer Zhang frowned: "If we develop forward, I'm afraid it will take a long time."

"The time for mapping and copying will not be short either," Qin Yang said. "With the experience of the failed WS-6, haven't our comrades engaged in aero engines clearly realized the difficulty of developing aero engines? Without fully understanding the technology and without the relevant materials reaching the standard, this road will be extremely difficult, and it may not be possible to develop it in twenty years."

"Who said our WS-6 failed?" Just then, a voice sounded.

Everyone looked over in the direction of the voice and saw Old Li.

Old Li was left out in the cold!

This afternoon, it was originally supposed to be a project introduction from the Northern Institute, but before he could say a few words, the content of the meeting turned into the development of a third-generation turbofan, and Old Li became a bystander.

He wanted to interject several times, but seeing that everyone was listening carefully to this project, he couldn't interrupt. At this time, hearing Qin Yang say that the WS-6 had failed, he finally picked up the topic.

"The WS-6 only lacks an installation target. If there is an installation target, then it can continue to be developed. Our J-13 can use the WS-6."

After Qin Yang's忽悠(hū yōu- to coax or trick) just now, Old Li understood.

A brand-new third-generation turbofan cannot be developed in time! He can only make do with the WS-10. The WS-10's paper data is not high, and it cannot allow the performance of their conventional layout J-13 to reach the level of the F-16 at all.

If he wants to save this project, he has to solve the engine problem!

Old Li finally thought of a way to break the situation: use the existing WS-6!

"Moreover, we have also developed a modified version based on the WS-6. The maximum afterburning thrust of the WS-6G has increased to 138.2 kilonewtons, the maximum military thrust has increased to 83.3 kilonewtons, and the thrust-to-weight ratio has increased to 7.05. Using this engine on our J-13 will definitely allow the J-13 to obtain more advanced performance than the F-16!"

"Engineer Li, since we have such a good engine in China, why didn't you use this engine at the beginning?" Qin Yang, anyway, has taken over and has been talking endlessly here, so he will continue to be the protagonist.

"Weren't we thinking of something better?" Old Li said, "The thrust-to-weight ratio of this WS-6G is only 7, and the current international advanced level has reached 8, but you also said that it takes too long to develop a brand-new engine. Therefore, let's just use the WS-6G and get the plane into the air first!"

In the 1980s, the 606 Institute improved the WS-6G, reducing the fan to two stages, reducing the weight by 100 kilograms, and greatly increasing the thrust and thrust-to-weight ratio, which sounds very good.

However, these data are all on paper. Only the people who develop this engine know the actual situation of this engine!

Qin Yang turned his head and looked at Old Lin: "Old Lin, you are the users. It's up to you whether you use the WS-6 or not."