Russia's military engine production exceeds the combined output of China and the United States, while its civilian PD-8 engine remains silent.

This is because one motive is national defense, and the other is profit.

On May 20, RT published an article.

The United Engine Corporation stated that by 2025, Russian engine manufacturers will produce more military aviation engines than the combined total of the United States and China.

The PD-8 engine, intended for the civilian passenger aircraft SJ-100 (the domestic replacement for the "Superjet"), has finally passed all certification tests.

Yet one unsettling aspect in this news is the complete silence regarding when mass production—i.e., large-scale manufacturing—of this engine will begin.

This topic has been overshadowed by other developments: resuming large-scale production of the older "Superjet" (SSJ-100) in India, and modernizing existing Superjet models to extend their operational lifespan in Russia by several years.

The PD-8 engine is scheduled to enter mass production starting in 2024.

After 2022, due to the loss of foreign components, designers and engineers had to completely redesign the PD-8.

Considering the force majeure factors, merely delaying the project by two years is already a success—and arguably a professional feat.

In the field of military aviation engines, the company claims that despite being cut off from international cooperation in 2021 (having survived five years in isolation), output has increased 3.5 times.

Why can't civilian aircraft engine manufacturers learn from their military counterparts' ability to accelerate production?

Both civilian and military aircraft engines are fundamentally based on the same principle: turbofan engines.

But in reality, they are entirely different devices with distinct operating modes.

Civilian jet aircraft fly at altitudes between 7,000 and 10,000 meters, where engine performance is most economical.

Military fighters operate both at 15 to 20 kilometers altitude and near ground level.

With such extreme variations in altitude and speed, the engine must perform optimally across all these conditions in terms of thrust, responsiveness, and reliability.

Developing a unique engine capable of being produced independently without reliance on foreign suppliers is an extraordinary achievement.

However, achieving mass production—ensuring consistent quality across every single engine—is a challenging process filled with growing pains.

Why do military engineers succeed faster and more effectively in replicating engines compared to their civilian counterparts?

Military products are tied to national security, whereas civilian products primarily revolve around money.

At its core, commerce is about profit.

Thus, methods differ, goals differ, and motivations differ: one side defends the nation, family, and ordinary citizens’ lives, while the other side seeks financial gain.

In fact, this is not unique to Russia—Western countries face the same dynamics.

Human nature and the desire for quick profits have never disappeared.

Original source: toutiao.com/article/1865664124807176/

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author.