GE Aviation executives say China's military jet engines are narrowing the gap with the U.S.

"Although China's self-developed engines still lag behind the U.S. and require more frequent overhauls, their performance improvements highlight the urgency of developing next-generation propulsion technology," said Steve Russell, general manager of GE Aviation's Advanced Projects (Edison Works). Russell noted that Chinese turbofan engines are "catching up" to Western products but are still inferior to U.S.-made engines. The department is responsible for developing next-generation propulsion technologies, including large adaptive cycle turbofans for sixth-generation fighters, as well as small, low-cost engines for cruise missiles and drones.

Russell stated on September 9 at the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies that Chinese engines are narrowing the gap with the U.S., but "are still not as good" and "are still drawing on American technology."

Defense experts in the U.S. pointed out that most of the current U.S. fighter engines were developed during the Cold War, which could "weaken the U.S. advantage in propulsion technology."

Americans, as usual, accuse China of conducting "industrial espionage," including "forced technology transfer and sending internal personnel to steal patent technology." They also cited an example where a Chinese-American named Zheng Xiaoqing was sentenced to two years in prison in 2022 for stealing GE turbine technology.

Americans believe that China currently has a variety of self-developed military turbofan engines:

Shenyang WS-10 - widely equipped in front-line aircraft, including the J-10C.

Shenyang WS-15 - expected to be equipped in the J-20 stealth fighter.

WS-20 - the first domestically produced high-bypass turbofan, installed on the Xi'an Y-20U refueling aircraft.

Designs under development include the WS-19 for the twin-engine J-35, while the J-35 currently uses the more mature WS-21.

Russell said this shows "China's propulsion industry has made significant progress, shifting from relying on Russian imports to self-production."

"China has a large number of smart engineers, and they build aircraft quickly," Russell said.

The 2024 Pentagon report stated that the rapid growth and modernization of the Chinese Air Force, with China's drone production "quickly approaching U.S. standards."

U.S. defense companies criticize the Pentagon's unstable procurement strategy, increasing investment risks for next-generation complex technologies, especially in the low-volume, long-cycle military propulsion industry.

Former U.S. Air Force pilot and Mitchell Institute Heather Penney said the U.S. defense supply chain is "fragile," with demand fluctuations making it difficult for companies to smooth production, order raw materials, and manage subcontractors.

Despite this, "GE and Pratt & Whitney engines are still far ahead of China's counterparts," Russell said. U.S. engines have a life of "thousands of hours," while Chinese ones only reach "hundreds of hours."

"China's engines are improving, which is why we must achieve the next leap to maintain our advantage," he said.

For next-generation projects, U.S. early-stage projects include:

Boeing F-47 air superiority fighter

Naval F/A-X X sixth-generation fighter

NGAP (Next Generation Adaptive Propulsion) program, which invested $3.5 billion, with GE (XA102) and Pratt & Whitney (XA103) developing prototypes

These projects focus on improving range and providing power for onboard sensors, with the envisioned sixth-generation fighter not just an air combat platform but also a command center for drone operations.

Improving range is crucial for U.S. operations in the Western Pacific, requiring long-range strikes from bases such as Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands. Previously, the F-35's plan to use an adaptive engine aimed to increase range by 35% and improve thermal management. The GE XA100 prototype can provide a 20% thrust increase and a 30% range improvement, with the experience being applied to the NGAP project.

U.S. intelligence estimates that China will "have the capability to seize Taiwan by 2027" and "has been conducting practical exercises in the surrounding sea and air space."

Russell concluded: "Our team and supply chain are ready, waiting for the go-ahead."

Feiyang Military Super Topic

Yes, yes, the U.S. is very advanced.

I hope Americans who watched the military parade can maintain a good mood for a long time.

Original: www.toutiao.com/article/1843020308783116/

Statement: This article represents the views of the author.