The aero engine is the core component that determines the performance of a fighter, which directly affects the speed, maneuverability, stealth and combat radius of the fighter. Therefore, the development and production of aero engines is the highest technical difficulty in the aviation industry, and it is also an important embodiment of national defense strength.
Recently, two pieces of news have attracted the attention of the global military community. First, the new engine AL-51F1, the fifth-generation Russian fighter Su-57, has been officially put into production, which is a major achievement of the Russian aviation industry. The other is that China's WS-15 afterburner turbofan engine is ready for mass production, which will be used in the J-20** fighter jet, providing strong power support for the J-20. Both of these engines are currently among the most advanced aero engines in the world, so what are the differences and pros and cons between them? Today, I'm going to analyze it for you.
AL-51F1: Russian "Product 30".
The AL-51F1 is a new generation of engines specially developed in Russia for the Su-57, also known as the "Product 30". This engine is based on the prototype engine AL-41F1 of the Su-57 has been comprehensively upgraded and improved, with the characteristics of small double circuit, afterburner, plasma ignition and full digital control system, and is the first twin-turbojet engine with the above characteristics in the history of world aviation manufacturing.
The biggest feature is the ability to achieve supersonic flight without afterburner, that is, it is able to allow the Su-57 to fly at speeds exceeding the speed of sound without the use of afterburner. This is very important for fighter jets, because although the afterburner can provide more thrust, it also consumes more fuel, reducing the range and endurance of the fighter. Supersonic flight without afterburner can save fuel and improve the combat efficiency of fighters while ensuring speed.
According to reports, the al-51F1 has an afterburner-free thrust of slightly more than 11,000 kg, which is a significant improvement over its predecessor, the Al-41F1. In addition, in special mode, its thrust is up to 195 tons. These data show the excellent performance of the new generation of Russian engines, slightly better than the 15 turbofan 18462 tons.
In the new generation AL-51F1 engine, the designers also radically changed the thermodynamic process, achieving a special ionization of the gas stream in the air-fuel mixture. This innovation allows the new generation of engines to move away from the traditional afterburner design in favor of a more efficient ring system. This design not only provides significant advantages when flying at high speeds, but also further improves economy. These improvements make the AL-51F1 a world-leading engine.
WS-15: Chinese "Turbofan-15".
The WS-15 is a new generation of engines specially developed by China for the J-20, also known as the "Turbofan 15". This engine is the first afterburner turbofan engine independently developed and produced by China, with the characteristics of high thrust-to-weight ratio, high comprehensive performance, high reliability and high adaptability, and is a major breakthrough in China's aviation industry.
The biggest feature is the ability to achieve 22x supersonic cruise, that is, it is capable of allowing the J-20 to fly at more than 2 times the speed of sound without the use of afterburner. This is very important for fighters, because 2.2 times the supersonic cruise can make the J-20 have extremely high maneuverability and penetration capabilities in air combat, and can also reduce fuel consumption and improve the combat efficiency of the fighter.
It is reported that the WS-15 has an afterburner thrust of 181 thousand newtons, which is equivalent to 18462 tons, while its afterburner thrust is 36924 tons. These data show that the performance of China's new generation of engines is comparable to or even surpasses that of the Russian AL-51F1. It is worth mentioning that the weight of the J-20 is only 17 tons, and the thrust of the WS-15 can directly and easily lift itself, which shows that the thrust-to-weight ratio of the WS-15 is very high, providing strong power support for the J-20.
The development of the WS-15 was not smooth, and there were many setbacks and difficulties. However, Chinese engineers did not give up, but continued to overcome technical difficulties, and finally succeeded in developing this advanced engine. The successful development of the WS-15 not only marks China's independent innovation capability in the field of aero engines, but also adds new highlights to China's national defense strength.
What are the similarities and differences between the new engines in China and Russia?
From the above introduction, it can be seen that the new engines of China and Russia are currently one of the most advanced aero engines in the world, and they all have the characteristics of supersonic flight without afterburner and high thrust-to-weight ratio, which provide strong power support for the fifth-generation fighters of the two countries. So, what are the differences and pros and cons between them?
First of all, from the point of view of the technical route, there are certain differences between the new engines of China and Russia. Russia's AL-51F1 is a twin-turbojet engine that uses technologies such as small dual circuits, afterburner, plasma ignition, and a fully digital control system to achieve special ionization of the air stream in the air-fuel mixture, abandoning the traditional afterburner design in favor of a more efficient annular system. This technical route is unique in the world and reflects Russia's innovative capabilities and characteristics in the field of aero engines.
China's WS-15 is an afterburner turbofan engine, which adopts high bypass ratio, high pressure ratio, high temperature ratio, high efficiency ratio and other technologies to achieve high thrust-to-weight ratio, high comprehensive performance, high reliability and high adaptability, and is the first afterburner turbofan engine independently developed and produced by China. This technical route is also leading in the world, reflecting China's independent innovation ability and level in the field of aero engines.
Secondly, from the point of view of performance indicators, there is also a certain gap between the new engines of China and Russia. The Russian Al-51F1 has an afterburner thrust of slightly more than 11000 kg, while the Chinese WS-15 has an afterburner thrust of 181 thousand newtons, which is equivalent to 18462 tons, the two are not much different. However, in terms of afterburner thrust, the Chinese WS-15 is significantly superior to the Russian Al-51F1, which has an afterburner thrust of 36924 tons, while the afterburner thrust of the Al-51F1 was only 195 tons, a difference of nearly double the two. This shows that China's WS-15 is able to maintain higher fuel efficiency while providing more thrust, providing the J-20 with a longer range and higher speed.
Finally, from the point of view of the matching degree of fighters, the new engines of China and Russia also have their own advantages and disadvantages. Russia's Al-51F1 is able to allow the Su-57 to achieve supersonic flight without afterburner, which is very beneficial for improving the stealth and penetration capabilities of the Su-57, however, the weight of the Su-57 is 25 tons, while the thrust of the Al-51F1 is only 195 tons, which means that the thrust-to-weight ratio of the Su-57 is only 078, which is detrimental to improving the mobility and climbing capabilities of the Su-57. And the Chinese WS-15 is able to make the J-20 achieve 22 times the supersonic cruise, which is very beneficial for improving the maneuverability and penetration capabilities of the J-20, moreover, the weight of the J-20 is only 17 tons, while the thrust of the WS-15 is 36924 tons, which means that the thrust-to-weight ratio of the J-20 is up to 217, which is very beneficial for increasing the maneuverability and climbing ability of the J-20.
To sum up, the new engines of China and Russia are among the most advanced aero engines in the world, and they both provide strong power support for the fifth-generation fighters of the two countries, however, they also have their own characteristics and advantages and disadvantages, and it is impossible to simply say which one is better. In future air battles, they will show their own style and strength, bringing new changes and challenges to the development and competition of the global aviation industry.