Endangered

Moscow,

China is developing an advanced version of the Chengdu Aircraft Industrial Corporation (CAC) J-10 multirole fighter aircraft, referred to as the Super-10, with a more powerful engine, thrust-vector control, stronger airframe and passive phased-array radar, according to Russian sources.

Russian Aircraft Corporation MiG (RSK-MiG) specialists, contracted to provide technical assistance to Chinese design houses, said the enhancement to the J-10 airframe is a logical step, since the fighter was initially intended to have the compact Pratt&Whitney PW1120 engine that powered the Israeli Lavi aircraft, which served as a basis for the J-10.

However, the imposition of US export restrictions forced the decision to install the 20 per cent heavier Russian AL-31FN engine, which requires a larger intake as it needs 40 per cent more air flow.

In late 2005 China placed a USD300 million order for a second batch of AL-31FN engines; these are a derivative of the Su-27's AL-31F for single-engine aircraft, with a lower positioning of the gearbox. At first, it was believed the contract was for the same engines as in the first batch of 54 units supplied in 2001-02 and installed into development prototypes and initial production J-10s. However, AL-31FN-maker Moscow Machine Production Plant (MMPP) Salyut in December 2005 revealed the order to be for the AL-31FN M1, which is claimed to be a new AL-31FN production standard.

The company's general manager, Yuri Eliseyev, said the new engine was purposely developed for what he referred to as the "Chinese Super-10 fighter". Four such engines have been seen assembled at MMPP Salyut's Moscow production site. One of these has been demonstrated undergoing fire testing, during which its swivel nozzle was deflected up/down and sideways at full power and reheated thrust.

Source

__________________
Wild Wild Web

tphuang

The radar stuff is just publicity by the Russians trying to get the radar contract for the modified J-10. The engine stuff should be true, since they are the current 100 AL-31FN exported to China. Just a little more info, the AL-31FN M1 uses 3D TVC similar to the one on Mig-29 OVT and has 133 kN of thrust (increased from 122.6 on the original).

Endangered

Chinese J-10 gets power boost

Production examples of China’s J-10 fighter will be powered by an increased thrust version of the AL-31FN engine with a 29,800lb (132kN) output and thrust-vectoring control. Deliveries of the new powerplant could start later this year.

Yuri Eliseev, general director of Moscow-based engine builder MMPP Salyut, says the AL-31FN M1 has completed state acceptance flight tests and should receive official export approval later this year, clearing the way to begin deliveries to China.

Salyut is under contract to produce 100 M1-standard engines for Beijing under a deal worth $300 million, and has already delivered 60 27,600lb-rated AL-31FNs without thrust vectoring to power early examples of the J-10.

The new AL-31FN M1 features a larger low-pressure compressor, full-authority digital engine control and has a thrust-vectoring nozzle developed jointly by Salyut and Klimov. The powerplant has so far been qualified for a 750h interval before overhaul, with a goal of increasing this to 1,000h for China. The engine has a design life of 2,000h.

Salyut is, meanwhile, continuing work on M2 and M3 variants of the AL-31F, with benchtesting on both designs scheduled to start during 2006.