Siheyuan: Heavy Industry Revitalizes the Country

Is it difficult to design a fourth-generation stealth fighter?

difficult!

In the 21st century, there are only three countries that have fourth-generation aircraft, and many people believe that one of them does not meet the standards of a formal fourth-generation aircraft and is a fake fourth-generation aircraft.

So is it difficult for Fang Xiang, who traveled back from the future?

Whether it is F22, F35 or J20, Fang Xiang has seen them countless times.

From videos, to pictures, to plan views and cross-sectional diagrams drawn by major military fans, and then to his later employment at the Space Agency, he also had certain authority.

I got to know some drawings of F22, F35 and J20.

But designing a fourth-generation aircraft based solely on these scattered drawings would undoubtedly be wishful thinking.

But Fang Xiang has a huge advantage.

That’s right, he is now the top aircraft designer in the country.

他拥有国内目前所有项目、所有机密材料的最高权限，再加上经他手设计出来的J-10、J-11。以及他还在112厂、132厂工作的经历，即便是没有看过F22、F35和J20的总设计图。也不影响他以从业20年的经验，去倒推这份设计图。

So, what are the difficulties in designing a fourth-generation aircraft?

That's right, the engine and the materials.

Let's talk about the engine first. First of all, the Taihang engine currently developed by the 999 Institute is still a long way from passing the test, even if Fang Xiang took out the complete drawings.

However, materials are still the biggest factor restricting the yield rate of Taihang engines.

In the latest bench tests, none of the Taihang engines could successfully run for more than 30 minutes.

That’s right, even though the J-11 is still using the Kunlun engine, the performance it demonstrates is enough to shock the whole world.

This is still without the Taihang engine. If it is equipped with a Taihang engine that meets the design standards, the performance will be taken to a higher level.

Basically, it can compete with the F16 that has just been put into service in the United States.

Even if it is used in the 21st century, it will not be outdated, but the difficulty in producing the Taihang engine has seriously affected the performance of the J-11.

When the Taihang engine reaches the design requirements, what will need to be upgraded, adjusted and improved subsequently is the avionics and radar technology that keeps pace with the times.

However, it is not difficult to use the Taihang engine on the J-11. After all, a multi-purpose fighter does not have too high requirements for the range. Generally speaking, more than a thousand kilometers are enough.

If it is used on the fourth-generation aircraft, it will be far from enough.

In theory, twin engines can also meet the requirements of supersonic cruise and short-distance takeoff. But twin engines, twin engines, must be two engines, and with the strict appearance and aerodynamic design of the fourth-generation aircraft, the fuel consumption of twin engines will also be a terrifying level.

At the beginning, the F22's advertised combat radius was only 795 kilometers.

That’s right, the combat radius is less than 800 kilometers.

This shows how terrible the fuel consumption of a twin-engine stealth fourth-generation aircraft is.

Later, the engine was upgraded and optimized year by year, the quality of aviation gasoline continued to improve, and better additives were developed, which allowed the F22's range to reach kilometers.

And this is already happening in 2022.

It can be seen from this that the problem of the engine and aviation gasoline alone is enough to set the threshold for the fourth-generation aircraft very high.

Of course, you can say that engines can introduce technology, can iterate, and can purchase finished products.

What about the materials?

Polymer materials and metamaterials technology are more cutting-edge technologies than the jewel in the crown of industry.

This is a piece of knowledge that I don't know if it's cool or not. The F22 hangar has a constant temperature and humidity, and there is also the problem of large-scale peeling of the stealth paint at any time.

After each flight mission, the F22 and F35 must undergo a comprehensive inspection and fill in stealth materials.

The cost of building the F35 seems to be only 35 million US dollars, but the operating cost of more than Fs is close to trillion US dollars per year, which makes the United States, with its strong financial resources, cry out that it cannot afford it.

Not to mention the more advanced F22.

Therefore, at the end of 87, when Fang Xiang proposed to design and develop a fourth-generation stealth fighter, after it became a complete plan and was assembled, it was directly rejected.

“It’s not that we don’t want it. To be honest, the stealth performance of the J-11 is enough to scare us.

Professor Fang, you may not know that we dare not paint the J-11s currently in service, not because we cannot afford it, but because we are afraid of being discovered.

The world's only stealth paint and stealth fighter jets are not available in the US or the Soviet Union, but we have them. Professor, you must know the story of the child carrying gold through the busy streets.

If we are discovered, who can withstand the pressure? Our international environment is still relatively good. If this news gets out, even a fool knows what will happen.

We currently have only one J-11 in our fleet that was previously coated with stealth paint. After the experiment, it has been parked in the hangar and we dare not pull it out.

You have told us before that the United States has already started the bidding plan for the fourth-generation aircraft. We have also deliberately infiltrated in a targeted manner for several years before we got a few clues.

Even so, it aroused the vigilance of the US side, and many agents paid the price of their lives.

Professor, I think the concept of the fourth-generation aircraft you proposed is good, but have you thought about a few problems?

First, America hasn’t figured it out yet, do we have the ability to do it?

Second, the cost of the J-11 is now more than 7 million per unit, which is more than five times more expensive than the J- which costs million.

We are reluctant to produce more J-10s, which cost more than million yuan. Have you calculated the cost of producing such a high-performance engine and such top-grade materials for this fourth-generation stealth fighter? Can our country afford it?

Third, even if we do it, how many years will it take to produce results? Even if we do produce results, according to the international environment, it is likely that they will be used as technology reserves and will not be put into mass production.

Professor, the J-11 you designed is already advanced enough. The Air Force has not yet fully understood it, and the number in service is being replaced gradually, one formation at a time. Even if it has been designed, I'm afraid it will be of no use.

I think the light, low-cost, multi-purpose fighter jet project proposed by Pakistan is very good. Why not give it a try?

By the time it is developed, our J-7 will be able to be equipped on a large scale, right?"

General Xu from the General Assembly looked at Fang Xiang helplessly.

The military's concerns and ideas were expressed frankly.

Hearing this, Fang Xiang also fell silent.

Yes, the country’s current strength cannot support fighter jets of such cost.

Even the J-11 cannot be purchased and used on a large scale. Even if Fang Xiang developed stealth coating thirty years in advance, wouldn't he still not dare to use it?

So, should we give up?

"Minister Xu, the development of the Taihang engine has reached a bottleneck.

We have a good relationship with Lao Mi now.

How about we talk to Mr. Mi and buy a few batches of HP engines?

It would be best to buy the production line and complete drawings together.”

Fang Xiang's eyes turned and he realized that the development of the Taihang engine had come to a standstill due to the lack of advanced material technology.

Well... as the future engine supplier for F35 and F22, can we take this opportunity to buy back the products of HP Engine Company?

"HP engine?"

Minister Xu held the cigarette and fell into deep thought.

This HP engine is not the same as the HP that makes printers.

The full name is Pratt & Whitney Group, Inc.

Like Rolls-Royce, the parent company of Rolls-Royce, it is one of the two top aircraft engine companies in the world.

The only difference is that RR is owned by John Bull, while HP is owned by Michelin.

Fang Xiang had just offended John Bull, so he naturally would not go to RR. Moreover, RR mainly manufactured engines for civilian airliners.

But HP does not only build engines for Boeing. Like General Electric, it also provides engines for American fighter jets.

If we could buy advanced engine technology from HP, wouldn't we be able to open up a new technological line in addition to the Taihang and Emei engine technology line?