Shenyang WS-10

WS-10

Type	Turbofan
National origin	People's Republic of China
Manufacturer	Shenyang Liming Aircraft Engine Company
Designer	Shenyang Aeroengine Research Institute
First run	1990s
Major applications	Chengdu J-10C Shenyang J-11B Shenyang J-15 Shenyang J-16 Chengdu J-20
Status	In production^[1]
Number built	300+ as of May 2015^[update]^[1]
Developed into	Shenyang WS-20

The WS-10 is reverse engineered from the CFM56 with the experience gained from the Woshan WS-6 turbofan project, which was abandoned at the start of the 1980s.^[4] The WS-10 project was reportedly started by Deng Xiaoping in 1986 to produce an engine comparable to the Saturn AL-31. The work was given to the Shenyang Aeroengine Research Institute (606 Institute) of the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC).^[3] Initial production models suffered quality issues from the early direct use of AL-31 control systems. Furthermore, Salyut refused to sell the control system source code, forcing China to spend nearly 20 years developing its own code independently.^[1] An early version of the FADEC flew on an J-8II in 2002.^[1]

The WS-10A, targeted for 130 kilonewtons (29,000 lb_f) of thrust,^[3] was already in development in 2002.^[5] In 2004, Russian sources familiar with project reported problems meeting the thrust target;^[6] in 2005, they reported problems reducing the weight of the primary and secondary compressors, in addition to problems meeting thrust requirements.^[7] Engine testing on the J-11 had already started by 2004,^[6] and testing using one engine on the J-11 may have occurred as early as 2002.^[5]

A full-scale WS-10A engine was first seen at the 2008 China International Aviation & Aerospace Exhibition.^[3]

In 2009, Western media claim that the WS-10A approached the performance of the AL-31, but took much longer than the AL-31 to develop thrust.^[8] Furthermore, the engine reportedly only generated 110–125 kilonewtons (25,000–28,000 lb_f) of thrust.^[3] In April 2009, Lin Zuoming, head of AVIC, reported that the engine's quality was unsatisfactory.^[9] In 2010, it was reported that reliability was also poor; the WS-10A lasted only 30 hours, while the AL-31 needed refurbishing after 400 hours.^[10] The quality problems encountered with the WS-10A reflected the state of the Chinese aerospace industry. AVIC initiated a general effort to improve quality control throughout its production chain in 2011.^[11]

The WS-10A reportedly matured enough after 2009 to power the twin-engined J-11B Block 02 aircraft.^[12] Production or performance issues may have prevented the WS-10A from powering the single-engined J-10B.^[13] In 2018, Chinese state media reported an increase in engine lifespan from 800 to 1,500 hours due to the increased heat resistance of new third-generation single-crystal turbine blades.^[14]

In March 2020, Chinese state media released a video showing a WS-10B-powered J-10C; aircraft markings suggest it was part of the fourth batch of J-10Cs for the PLAAF.^[15]

The WS-10 has also powered various versions of the Chengdu J-20. The WS-10B reportedly powered low rate initial production aircraft in 2015,^[16] and was used as an interim engine before the adoption of the AL-31.^[17]^[18] In 2019, the Xian WS-15 – the J-20's intended engine – failed trials, leading to the decision to replace the AL-31 with the WS-10C as the interim engine; reportedly, the AL-31 was unacceptable because Russia refused to sell additional engines unless China also bought the Sukhoi Su-35 as well.^[18] Testing was underway by November 2020.^[19] In January 2022, it was reported that J-20's powered by the WS-10C would be upgraded with TVC.^[20]

The original WS-10A has a thrust-to-weight ratio of 7.5, the improved WS-10B is rated approximately 9.0, while the WS-10C is capable of 9.5 or higher — adequate for the Chengdu J-20 to supercruise.^[21]

In November 2022, a production Shenyang J-15 powered by the WS-10, possible the WS-10B, appeared in Chinese media.^[22] It was the last indigenous Chinese combat aircraft to replace the AL-31;^[23] possibly due to navalisation.^[24] According to Chinese observers, compared to the AL-31 the WS-10 had superior safety, reliability, and service life, aspects which are magnified by the constraints of carrier aviation.^[25] The replacement reflected continuing improvements in China's aviation engine industry.^[26]

WS-20 (WS-188)

The Shenyang WS-20 (WS-188) is a high-bypass engine,^[13] reportedly producing 13.8 tons of thrust.^[27] It is believed to be based on the core of the WS-10A.^[3]^[28]

The Shenyang WS-20 is believed to be intended for the Y-20 strategic airlifter.^[27]

Thrust vectoring

A testbed J-10B powered by a WS-10 with thrust vectoring (TVC) – called "WS-10B-3" by Jamie Hunter – was demonstrated at the 2018 China International Aviation & Aerospace Exhibition.^[29] The TVC nozzle uses actuator-assisted moving petals, similar in concept to General Electric's axisymmetric vectoring exhaust nozzle (AVEN) and Pratt & Whitney's pitch-yaw balance beam nozzle (PYBBN).^[30]

WS-10 – base variant
WS-10A – improved variant with FADEC;^[3] advertised to have 120–140 kilonewtons (27,000–31,000 lb_f) thrust.^[1]
WS-10B – improved variant with greater reliability and thrust; based on the WS-10A,^[31] with thrust reported as 135 kilonewtons (30,000 lb_f) by Janes in 2020^[22] and 144 kilonewtons (32,000 lb_f) by Chinese media.^[32]^[33]^{[better source needed]}
WS-10H – Naval variant equipped on two Shenyang J-15 prototypes. Limited to testing.^[22]
WS-10B-3 – TVC variant^[29]
WS-10C – "Updated"^[19] variant with stealthier serrated exhaust feathers and improved thrust of 142 kilonewtons (32,000 lb_f).^[34]
WS-10G – thrust vectoring variant^[35] generating 152–155 kilonewtons (34,000–35,000 lb_f) of thrust during testing;^[3] intended for the Chengdu J-20^[35]
WS-20 – high-bypass derivative for the Y-20 transport; 138 kilonewtons (31,000 lb_f) of thrust^[27]
QD70 – 7MW class gas turbine engine developed from WS-10 for industrial & naval applications^[36]

Description

Development

WS-20 (WS-188)

Thrust vectoring

Variants

Applications

Specifications (WS-10)

General characteristics

Components

Performance

See also

References

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