Flypast of the Chengdu J-20 during the opening of Airshow China in Zhuhai. Wikipedia
SCMP: China ‘nearing mass production’ of J-20 stealth fighter after engine problems ironed out
Improved power train will give Chinese jet ability to fly undetected at supersonic speeds, on par with United States’ F-35
A new and improved engine designed to make China’s J-20 stealth fighter a world-class combat jet should be ready for mass production by the end of the year, military sources have said.
The WS-15 engine features cutting-edge single-crystal turbine blades and has been in development for several years, but Chinese technicians have struggled to get it into mass production.
However, many of the problems – which largely related to blades overheating at top speeds – have been ironed out in ground tests and trial flights, putting the goal of a consistently high quality product in sight, sources told the South China Morning Post.
Beijing is keen to have a stealth aircraft capable of competing with the best in the world as tensions rise in the Asia-Pacific and the United States ramps up deployment of its F-22 and F-35 fighters in the region.
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WNU Editor: Wow. If true it did not take them that long to work out the kinks in their engines.
