Chapter 609: Single-engine and dual-engine choices
Everyone nodded involuntarily, revealing a heavy look.
Because this is the most prominent problem of Project No. 10 at present.
The country is imitating several aircraft engines, and it is unknown when the project will be able to imitate the project, maybe ten years, maybe twenty years.
This kind of uncertainty has led to a plan for Project No. 10, which is to purchase aircraft engines from the Americans or the Soviet Union.
Both the United States and the Soviet Union have high-performance aircraft engines, and they can be said to be the most advanced in the world. The aircraft engines of the two countries have their own advantages and disadvantages.
The American aircraft engines have high processing requirements and long engine life, but they are relatively expensive and require high maintenance and repair work. The price of aircraft engines often costs millions of dollars.
The Soviet aircraft engines are combined with the Soviet Union's war concept. They are often simple in structure, easy to mass produce, and have strong engine thrust, but the engine life is often 1000~2000 hours.
There is no right or wrong here, because this is subject to their respective strategic goals and war concepts.
Americans have never thought about launching the S3 season, because they are the biggest beneficiaries of the First World War and the Second World War, and have reaped all the benefits. The post-war order was also jointly shaped by the United States and the Soviet Union. The two are the leaders of the post-war order, and the United States even has a stronger dominance.
The United States is already a maritime hegemon, dominating the world's oceans, with military bases all over the world. The US dollar is an international currency and the first choice for foreign exchange reserves in most countries. After the successful implementation of the "petrodollar", the US dollar has become more popular.
The barefoot are not afraid of those wearing shoes. The United States belongs to the shoe-wearing people, so how could it take the initiative to fight with the barefoot.
The Soviet Union is different. The Soviet Union faces the entire Western camp. There is a voice of socialism that has never been cut off, that is, the liberation of all mankind. Whether it is because of the historical mission or the threat of the entire Western camp, the Soviet Union, as a fighting nation, is always ready for the outbreak of the S3 season, so the Soviet weapons will not be too expensive and high-end, but will be suitable for large-scale mass production, so as to carry out explosive troops.
Liu Tao knew that the S3 season would not break out in the next 30 years, so he naturally hoped that the fighter's aviation engine would be more powerful and have a longer lifespan to reduce the cost of use.
Liu Tao hesitated for a moment. He originally planned to change the J-10 from a single engine to a twin engine, but then he thought that the J-10 is positioned as a light fighter, which is a "low-end configuration" engine in the "high-low configuration" of fighters. It is also good for a light fighter to use a single-engine high-thrust engine.
This is a bit like the F15 and F16 fighters in the United States. People who don't know think that the F-16 has one more number than the F15, so the performance of the F16 fighter is more advanced than the F15.
In fact, this is not right, because the F15 is a twin-engine heavy fighter, equipped with two turbofan engines, with high maneuverability combat capability, and has perfect all-weather combat capability, that is, an all-weather, high-maneuverability tactical fighter designed to obtain and maintain air superiority. It can use advanced medium-range air-to-air missiles to destroy enemy aircraft, mainly carry out air superiority combat missions, and develop air-to-ground combat modifications.
The F16 fighter is a single-engine light fighter, and its performance is not as good as the F15 fighter. The reason why there is an F16 fighter is that although the F15 fighter has advanced performance, it is expensive. Even the wealthy United States can hardly afford the cost of purchasing a large number of F15 fighters. In order to solve the contradiction between funds and the number of fighters required, the US Air Force proposed the principle of "high-low matching", that is, a small number of high-performance aircraft are used in conjunction with a large number of aircraft with lower performance and price. Therefore, the F16 exists as a "low-end aircraft".
The same is true for China.
The J-10 will gradually replace the J-6, J-7, and J-8 fighters in China in the future.
When the J-10 is successfully developed, a twin-engine heavy fighter will be developed as a high-performance aircraft.
Liu Tao naturally knows the advantages and disadvantages of single-engine fighters and both fighters.
Single-engine fighters mean that only one aircraft engine is needed, and the cost can be reduced a lot. Compared with twin-engine fighters, the cost of procurement and maintenance is naturally greatly reduced. The drawback is that the reliability in actual use is reduced, and the single-engine layout limits the potential for improving the aircraft's range, load, and maneuverability.
In other words, the improvement of single-engine fighters is generally concentrated on electronic equipment and weapon systems, and the improvement space for engines is very limited, so the improvement space for range, speed, etc. is very limited.
The fighters of both sides are different, so there is a lot of room for improvement. Twin-engine fighters are not only safer and more secure, but also the aircraft can be designed to be larger, with a higher overall thrust ratio, can carry more fuel and ammunition, and have stronger comprehensive combat capabilities.
"The next is the avionics system. According to what I know, the avionics system of the current Project No. 10 is basically the same as that of the J-8II, which needs to be improved. The avionics system of the J-8II cannot meet the needs of modern warfare for fighters." Liu Tao said.
As the avionics system of the J-10, it must have a multifunctional avionics system, and it must be advanced. The current avionics system of the J-8II is relatively backward among the second-generation aircraft in the world.
Not to mention compared with the third-generation aircraft.
The avionics systems of current third-generation fighters often include displays, ultra-high frequency communications, tactical navigation systems and instrument landing systems, fire control radars, attitude/direction reference systems, electronic jamming pods, TACAN systems, inertial navigation systems, fire control systems, atmospheric data computers, central data computers, etc.
It is clear that Panshan Group is already working on the "Beidou Navigation System", and even now the "Beidou Navigation System" has been initially successfully networked in China, but the J-10 has not even considered satellite navigation.
As for radar, the J-10's radar is currently very backward, and the reason for this is that the current national radar research and development unit has failed to develop an advanced fire control radar.
Others lowered their heads in embarrassment.
Because the radar-related indicators set by the J-10 are not even as good as the "J-7A", not to mention the multi-function pulse Doppler radar of the "Eagle" advanced trainer.
If it were other people, they would still argue.
But in front of Liu Tao, an expert, arguing is useless and will only bring shame upon oneself.
Liu Tao continued to talk about several issues. It can be said that in addition to the aerodynamic layout, the power system, avionics system, and weapon system must be significantly modified to improve various indicators.
And even in the aerodynamic layout, small modifications and optimizations are also needed.
Chief Designer Song Wencong has no dissatisfaction, only happiness and expectations.
He has been engaged in aircraft design for a lifetime, especially since he served as the chief designer of the J-10. It can be said that he has put all his energy on the J-10 fighter. The J-10 fighter is like its child. It only hopes that the J-10 fighter is an advanced third-generation aircraft that can spread its wings and soar in the sky of the motherland to defend the motherland's airspace.
As for other people's opinions, as long as it is conducive to improving the development of the J-10 fighter, he will only be happier and will not be dissatisfied at all.
Not to mention that the one who made the opinion is Liu Tao.