JF-17/FC-1 production may reach 200 to 300 in Pakistan.
Over the last four years, countries like Egypt and Argentina
have explored local co-production, while reports of interested
potential buyers have included Algeria, Azerbaijan, Bangla-
desh, Myanmar, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka and Venezuela.
If fi nancially unstable Argentina does initiate a co-produc-
tion program, it will likely be promoted via the nascent Union
of South American Nations (Unasur) defense council—but
this move might be viewed with dismay in London. Argentine
industry of cials said at the 2013 Paris air show that one
reason for their interest in the FC-1 is that it could carry
Casic’s CM-400AKG hypersonic antiship missile, revealed
at the 2012 Zhuhai show. These could target Britain’s new
aircraft carriers in the event of another confl ict over the Falk-
land Islands. Pakistani sources say that reports that the CM-
400AKG is operational may refer to the land-attack version.
Zhuhai may of er clarity regarding the other export fi ghter
program, the Shenyang J-31 stealth fi ghter, which appeared
in October 2012. Visible progress with the aircraft—close in
size and confi guration to the Lockheed Martin F-35, apart
from twin engines—has been slower than with the bigger
Chengdu J-20 (see page 57).
The Xian Y-20 four-turbofan heavy military transport will
make its Zhuhai debut, according to Chinese state media re-
ports. Two (or perhaps three) prototypes are fl ying. In August,
Chinese reports noted that a PLA National Defense University
study suggested that China should acquire up to 400 Y-20s.
China’s lack of production-ready modern engines impedes
military aircraft development and sales. The Shenyang-Lim-
ing Taihang fi ghter turbofan has been in production since
2008 for Shenyang’s developments of the Sukhoi family (the
J-11B, J-15 and J-16), but reports persist that it has still not
achieved reliability targets. This may be forcing Chengdu to
deliver the fi rst production batch of single-engine J-10Bs—
the fi rst Chinese fi ghter with an active, electronically scanned
array radar—with Russian Saturn AL-31 turbofans.
The smaller 8,600-kg-thrust Guizhou WS-13 Taishan has
reportedly been fl ying on an FC-1 prototype since 2010, and
a 10,000-kg-thrust upgrade may be under development, but
Chinese sources have been reluctant to comment on the pro-
gram’s status. Since January 2014, images have appeared of
a Chinese high-bypass turbofan on an Ilyushin Il-76 testbed,
perhaps the 14-ton-thrust “WS-20” slated for the Y-20, but
its status is not known.
A key part of China’s combat aircraft strategy has been
to address the trainer market, paving the way for more-
advanced aircraft, and the air force has acquired three ad-
vanced trainers to support the export push. The air force
was at fi rst reluctant to buy complex new trainers, but has
fl own the Hongdu K-8/JL-8 since the late 1990s. It has been
purchased by 13 air forces. Two new supersonic trainers, the
low-cost single-turbojet Guizhou FTC-2000/JL-9 (a distant
descendant of the MiG-21) and the twin-turbofan Hongdu
L-15/JL-10, are in production for the air force.
China has used the Zhuhai show to showcase unmanned
aerial vehicles and unmanned combat air vehicles, refl ect-
ing a broad investment strategy that has supported not only
aircraft, helicopter and missile companies, but also model-
airplane producers and universities to develop systems rang-
ing from high-altitude long-endurance (HALE) systems to
micro-UAVs.
This Zhuhai show might provide new information on pro-
grams like Chengdu’s Global Hawk-like Long Haul Eagle
revealed in 2008, or Guizhou’s unique box-wing Soar Drag-
on, fi rst revealed at the 2006 Zhuhai show but seen on the
Chengdu airfi eld in 2011. A smaller Guizhou box-wing UAV
emerged in November 2013. That month also saw the fi rst
fl ight of the Shenyang-Hongdu LiJian, a delta UCAV proto-
type similar in size to the French Dassault Neuron.
The Chengdu Pterodactyl UCAV—similar in size to the
U.S. General Atomics MQ-1 Predator—was shown releas-
ing an air-to-surface weapon for the fi rst time in August, at
China’s Peace Mission 2014 exercises. This is part of a broad
Chinese investment in airborne intelligence, surveillance and
reconnaissance (ISR), aimed at improving joint operations
and the integration of artillery and missiles with airborne
ISR and attack platforms.
Airborne early warning and control systems, like the Il-76-
based KJ-2000 and the KJ-200, with a Saab-style array on a
modifi ed Y-9 turboprop transport, are participating in more
exercises. Yet a third AEW&C system, the KJ-500, is also en-
tering PLA service. With a saucer radome on a Y-9 platform,
the KJ-500 appears to be an updated version of the ZDK-03
purchased by Pakistan.
China’s missile and commercial-space prospects will be
enhanced early in the 2020s when it is due to loft its own120-ton+ space station, giving it the ability to share the pres-
tige of spacefl ight with countries not associated with the Inter-
national Space Station. China unveiled plans in late September
—in a presentation by Zhou Lini of the National University of
Defense Technology to the International Astronautical Con-
gress in Toronto—for an expansive space-station cooperation
program. It is due to include training and transport of guest
astronauts, science missions, docking by international space-
craft and even rescue missions in low Earth orbit.
China has made an impressive 108 space launches since
2006, but only 16 have carried commercial payloads. Just ten
of those were made in China and only four were “dual-use”
surveillance satellites. But on Oct. 5, Venezuela announced
its purchase of a second Chinese-made Venezuelan Remote
Sensing Satellite (VRSS-2), following the 2.5-meter (8-ft.)-
resolution VRSS-1 launched in September 2012. Since 2002,
China’s DFH Satellite Corporation has of ered a radar satel-
lite using a Russian-derived radar antenna, but has made
no sales. Several Chinese companies and universities have
designed micro and nano-satellites and Casic may say more
at Zhuhai about its new Kuaizhou mobile, rapid-response
launch vehicle. It is reported to be based on solid-fuel inter-
continental ballistic missile technology, and is intended for
small satellites. cAviationWeek.com/awst AVIATION WEEK & SPACE TECHNOLOGY/NOVEMBER 3/10, 2014 61
The Xian Y-20 airlifter should be the biggest
debutant at Zhuhai. Prototypes still have Russian-
supplied D-30 engines.圀漀爀氀搀䴀愀最猀⸀渀攀琀圀漀爀氀搀䴀愀最猀⸀渀攀琀
圀漀爀氀搀䴀愀最猀⸀渀攀琀