Chapter 1175: Finalization of the design of the Y-20 strategic transport aircraft

In the conference room, there is a special model of the Y-20, which looks majestic and beautiful.

Liu Tao already knows the design and performance parameters of the Y-20.

The Y-20 strategic transport aircraft integrates strategic and tactical air transport capabilities, emphasizes adapting to strategic and tactical tasks at the same time, can improve the ability to mobilize troops by air transport, and can directly transport large weapons and equipment to the front-line simple airport.

The Y-20 strategic transport aircraft has a wingspan of 45 meters, a length of 47 meters, and a height of 15 meters. The engine uses 4 "WS-20A" turbofan engines, with a maximum take-off weight of 220 tons, a maximum load of 66 tons, and a maximum range of 7,800 kilometers.

Compared with the previous Huaxia transport aircraft, which was copied from transport aircraft of other countries, this time the Y-20 strategic transport aircraft was independently designed and developed. It was hundreds of times more difficult to copy transport aircraft back then.

In terms of the startup layout, a conventional layout is adopted, with a cantilever upper wing, a main wing with a large aspect ratio and medium swept wing, and a constant leading edge swept wing. The high aspect ratio supercritical airfoil adopts lift-enhancing devices including leading edge slats and externally blown flap systems, as well as a vertical tail.

In terms of the fuselage structure, supercritical wings and an increased proportion of composite materials are used to reduce the structural weight of the aircraft and increase the load. The cargo hold has a volume of 320 cubic meters, which can carry weapons and equipment such as the Type 80 main battle tank, the Type 80 self-propelled anti-aircraft gun, the Type 81 medium tank, the Type 81 light tank, the Type 81 amphibious tank, the Type 81 infantry fighting vehicle, and the Type 81 122mm self-propelled howitzer.

In terms of the power system, four domestically produced 'WS-20A' engines are used, with a single thrust of 12.5 tons and a maintenance life of 5,000 hours.

In terms of the avionics system, the Y-20 strategic transport aircraft adopts a domestically produced integrated avionics system, with the ARINC429 bus as the backbone, connecting electronic flight instruments, flight control, navigation, communication, meteorology, engine data and indication systems, realizing comprehensive data processing, and displaying it on the color display screen in the cockpit. In addition, a self-defense jamming system is added, including a missile approach warning system, a jammer and a launcher.

It can be said that in terms of design, the Y-20 strategic transport aircraft is aiming at the world's advanced level.

At the meeting, the host reviewed the development history of China's transport aircraft, which made everyone in the venue feel mixed emotions.

The detailed design of the Y-7 took only one and a half years. At that time, it was a surveying and imitation. Everyone knew only a little and just copied the gourd. Although the time was fast, they often knew what they did but didn't know why. The quality of the Y-7 was not satisfactory, and all indicators were not as good as the Soviet-made An-24 transport aircraft. It was not until the late 1980s that the Y-7 reached the level of the Soviet-made An-24 transport aircraft with the improvement of processing level and the continuous efforts of the scientific research team.

The same situation also appeared in the Y-8. Thinking about the Y-8 produced in those years, even the Air Force disliked it.

But now it is different. China can independently complete the design of an advanced strategic transport aircraft.

When selecting the head of the expert group, although Liu Tao repeatedly declined, he was still selected as the head of this expert group.

Then the review began. During the three-day review period, the experts had to review all the technical information, so the time was very tight.

Before coming, everyone had been informed of the confidentiality clause and signed a confidentiality agreement.

And when they arrived at Guizhou Aircraft Group, because Guizhou Aircraft Group not only produces civil aircraft, but also military aircraft, the confidentiality level is very high, and people can't walk around or look around at will. Everyone's mind is on reviewing technical information.

After three days of work, the Y-20 strategic transport aircraft finally completed the design review. It received unanimous praise from the experts, and the experts gave high evaluations. In the end, it successfully passed the design review.

When Liu Tao announced the results, everyone applauded vigorously!

In the venue, there was a wave of applause.

The Y-20 design team hugged each other, followed the applause, and couldn't help crying with red eyes.

For the Y-20 project, they have spent several years on it, and now the detailed design has been approved, which is an affirmation of their work over the years.

Liu Tao also applauded them. The Y-20 strategic transport aircraft project has extraordinary significance for China.

Except for the An-225 and Il-76 transport aircraft, the Soviet-made transport aircraft that China had previously introduced will be retired in 2015, or they will be used as civilian transport aircraft after maintenance or exported to other countries as second-hand goods. They will be replaced by domestic military transport aircraft.

Among them, the Y-7, Y-8, Y-13, and Y-10 are unable to bear this heavy responsibility. Only the Y-20 strategic transport aircraft can bear this heavy responsibility.

In addition to the construction and transformation of the Chinese army, it means that in the next 20 years, the Chinese Air Force will need at least 200 Y-20 strategic transport aircraft!

This time, the United States mobilized a large number of transport aircraft, especially the C-17 'Globemaster III', to carry out large-scale paratrooper airdrops and transport weapons and equipment to the battlefield, which shocked the world.

In a short period of time, the US strategic transport aircraft delivered 80,000 people and a large amount of corresponding weapons and equipment to the rear of the battlefield. This capability shocked even the Chinese military.

The C-17 'Globemaster III' dared to land on the simple 1,000-meter runway on the battlefield and continuously transported weapons.

In this regard, China is far behind.

Although the Il-76 is also a good transport aircraft, its maximum load capacity is 50 tons, and its avionics system is backward, which is not enough to undertake the strategic and tactical combat missions of the future military.

The next day, Liu Tao participated in the roll-off of the WS-20 engine.

The exact model of this WS-20 engine is the WS-20A engine, which weighs 2 tons and has a thrust-to-weight ratio of 12.5 tons; and the improved WS-20B engine will be launched later, with a thrust-to-weight ratio of 16 tons; and the improved WS-20C engine will have a thrust-to-weight ratio of 18 tons.

After all, the Y-20 strategic transport aircraft, which has completed detailed design, uses the WS-20A, and will be further improved later.

The engine is the heart of the aircraft and largely determines the performance of the transport aircraft. Under the same circumstances, if equipped with the WS-20B engine, the range will be increased by at least 30%!

Now, dozens of aircraft engine models have been developed in the Panshan Group system.

With the continuous finalization and mass production of advanced aircraft engines, the overall level of China's aviation engine industry has reached the world's advanced level. The engine industry chain has great driving force and has made great contributions to economic development. Many technologies have been widely used.

It is precisely because of advanced aircraft engines that advanced aircraft are produced.

It is impossible to develop advanced aircraft without backward aircraft engines.

It is precisely because of the importance of aircraft engines that aircraft engines are hailed as the "flower of industry" and are regarded as an important manifestation of a country's scientific and technological, industrial and national defense strength.

Ordinary people only see that Guizhou Fei Group has launched one aircraft after another, but behind this is the continuous progress in materials, the progress in aircraft engines, and the progress in the technical level of the scientific research team. (End of this chapter)