Shenyang / Chengdu "6th Gen" Aircraft - News and Analysis

[Nx4eu]

Disagree, the US could run a pair of F135s or A100/101s and just install bigger generators. The US has access to much higher capacity lightweight motor/generators than China does. Or two generators per engine if they need that much electrical power.

That's 85-90klbs of thrust in two engines.

We don't know what the energy requirements are for the 'J-36'. China could be maxing out all 3 engines with multiple generators in order to meet demand, Not to mention ACE engines are supposedly intended in order to generate even more power so it's hard to say if 2 engines could really match the energy demand. Despite the technological superiority of American engines, the current ones can't match the dry thrust of 3x WS-15 class engines, let alone 3x Chinese adaptive cycle engines in development, that would seriously hamper what seems to be one of the key design goals of the aircraft, supercruise and supersonic performance.

 

[LowObservable]

I wouldn't be surprised if they just lifted the drawings from the chinese CAD artist and "adapted" them. The initial drawings have been online for several weeks/months by now.

Please repeat that without a pseudonym, snot-for-brains.

 

[siegecrossbow]

We don't know what the energy requirements are for the 'J-36'. China could be maxing out all 3 engines with multiple generators in order to meet demand, Not to mention ACE engines are supposedly intended in order to generate even more power so it's hard to say if 2 engines could really match the energy demand. Despite the technological superiority of American engines, the current ones can't match the dry thrust of 3x WS-15 class engines, let alone 3x Chinese adaptive cycle engines in development, that would seriously hamper what seems to be one of the key design goals of the aircraft, supercruise and supersonic performance.

One thing people need to realize is that the max thrust at sea level figure is not really that important.

 

[Nx4eu]

One thing people need to realize is that the max thrust at sea level figure is not really that important.

WS-15 should have better high speed performance than F135 because of it's lower bypass ratio no? Yes I'm simplifying. WS-15 should be specifically optimized for supercruise and thus provide better dry thrust at supersonic speeds. I'm confused, could you elaborate your comment that:

If you run something like F-135 which has relatively low bypass ratio then you tradeoff some high speed performance.

F135's low bypass ratio has less high speed performance? Wouldn't it be it's higher bypass ratio than say the WS-15 and F119 lend itself to worse high speed performance?

 

[siegecrossbow]

WS-15 should have better high speed performance than F135 because of it's lower bypass ratio no? Yes I'm simplifying. WS-15 should be specifically optimized for supercruise and thus provide better dry thrust at supersonic speeds. I'm confused, could you elaborate your comment that:

F135's low bypass ratio has less high speed performance? Wouldn't it be it's higher bypass ratio than say the WS-15 and F119 lend itself to worse high speed performance?

I got it backwards. I meant F-135 has higher bypass ratio than F-119. Brain not working today.

 

[siegecrossbow]

One thing people need to realize is that the max thrust at sea level figure is not really that important.

To the genius who laughed at my comment — most planes are not ground effect vehicles. The reason that F-119 and F-135 are a generation above older engines is not solely dependent on maximum thrust.

 

[Blitzo]

Disagree, the US could run a pair of F135s or A100/101s and just install bigger generators. The US has access to much higher capacity lightweight motor/generators than China does. Or two generators per engine if they need that much electrical power.

That's 85-90klbs of thrust in two engines.

It's bold to assume that two F135s or two A100/101s would offer sufficient thrust and power generation capability relative to J-36's target requirements.