Chengdu J-20 Stealth Fighter with Domestic Engine Enters Chinese 2nd PLA Ace Force

Chinese news outlet GlobalTimes reported that the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Air Force has equipped Second Ace Force with the Chengdu J-20 stealth air superiority fighter as the unit made its debut with the new warplanes in Northeast China. The Military Development Vanguard Air Group, which originated from the Communist Party of China’s (CPC) first ever aviation combat force and made ace squadron in the Korean War. Report footage shows that these Chengdu J-20s are equipped with WS-10 domestically developed engines.

The Chengdu J-20 also known as Mighty Dragon (WÄ“ilóng), is a single-seat, twinjet, all-weather, stealth, fifth-generation fighter aircraft developed by China’s Chengdu Aerospace Corporation for the People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF). The J-20 made its maiden flight on 11 January 2011, and was officially revealed at the 2016 China International Aviation & Aerospace Exhibition. The first J-20 combat unit was formed in February 2018. The J-20 is the world’s third operational fifth-generation stealth fighter aircraft after the F-22 and F-35.

The J-20 entered production powered by a Saturn AL-31 variant, reportedly the AL-31FM2 with a “special power setting” thrust of 145 kN (32,600 lbf). The Shenyang WS-10 has also powered various aircraft. The WS-10B reportedly powered low rate initial production aircraft. The WS-10 may have replaced the AL-31 in mid-2019. Flights with prototypes powered by the WS-10C were underway by November 2020. January 2021, WS-10C tests were expected to take a year. The WS-10C is expected to replace the AL-31 as interim engine.

The intended powerplant is the Xian WS-15 with a thrust of 180 kN. The J-20 requires the WS-15 to supercruise. As of August 2019, the WS-15 was in development. There are conflicting reports concerning the powerplant of the TVC-equipped J-20B. The powerplant has been identified as the AL-31FM2, or a variant of the WS-10; “WS-10C” by Andreas Rupprecht, or “WS-10B-3” by Jamie Hunter. The TVC-equipped WS-10B-3 was demonstrated at the 2018 China International Aviation & Aerospace Exhibition.