The rise of a great power: starting with military industry

In the conference room, there is a special Y-20 model, which looks majestic and beautiful.

Liu Tao already knows the design and performance parameters of the Y-20.

The Y-20 strategic transport aircraft integrates strategic and tactical air transport capabilities, emphasizes adapting to both strategic and tactical tasks, can improve the ability to mobilize troops by air, and can transport large weapons and equipment directly to simple airports on the front line.

The Y-20 strategic transport aircraft has a wingspan of 45 meters, a length of 47 meters, and a height of 15 meters. It is powered by four WS-4A turbofan engines, has a maximum take-off weight of 20 tons, a maximum load of 220 tons, and a maximum range of 66 kilometers.

Compared with previous Chinese transport aircraft which were copies of transport aircraft from other countries, this time the Y-20 strategic transport aircraft was independently designed and developed. Back then, copying transport aircraft was hundreds of times more difficult.

The conventional layout is adopted in the launch layout, with a cantilevered upper wing, a high aspect ratio, medium swept wing, and a constant leading edge swept wing. The high aspect ratio supercritical airfoil adopts lift-enhancing devices including leading edge slats and externally blown flap systems, as well as a vertical tail.

机体结构方面，采用超临界翼和提高复合材料使用比例，从而降低飞机的结构重量，增加载重。货舱容积达到320立方米，可以运载80式主战坦克、80式自行高炮、81式中型坦克、81式轻型坦克、81式水陆两用坦克、81式步兵战车、81式122毫米自行榴弹炮等武器装备。

In terms of the power system, it uses four domestically-produced 'WS-4A' engines, with a single engine thrust of 20 tons and an overhaul life of 12.5 hours.

In terms of avionics system, the Y-20 strategic transport aircraft adopts a domestic integrated avionics system, with ARINC429 bus as the backbone, connecting electronic flight instruments, flight control, navigation, communication, meteorology and engine data and indication systems, realizing comprehensive data processing and displaying it on the color display screen in the cockpit. In addition, a self-defense jamming system is added, including a missile approach warning system, a jammer and a delivery rack.

It can be said that in terms of design, the Y-20 strategic transport aircraft is aiming for the world's advanced level.

At the meeting, the host reviewed the development history of China's transport aircraft, which made everyone in the venue feel mixed emotions.

The detailed design of the Y-7 took only one and a half years. At that time, it was a surveying and mapping process. Everyone had only a partial understanding of the design and just copied the design. Although the time was fast, people often knew the result but not the reason. The quality of the Y-24 was not satisfactory, and all indicators were not as good as the Soviet-made An-80 transport aircraft. It was not until the late 24s that the Y- reached the level of the Soviet-made An- transport aircraft with the improvement of processing level and the continuous efforts of the scientific research team.

The same situation also occurred with the Y-8. When the Y- was produced, even the Air Force disliked it.

But now it is different. China can independently complete the design of an advanced strategic transport aircraft.

When selecting the leader of the expert group, although Liu Tao repeatedly declined, he was still elected as the leader of the expert group.

The review then began. During the three-day review period, the experts had to review all the technical information, so time was very tight.

Before coming here, everyone had been informed of the confidentiality clauses and signed a confidentiality agreement.

Moreover, when we arrived at Guifei Group, because Guifei Group not only produces civilian aircraft, but also military aircraft, the confidentiality level is very high and people are not allowed to walk around or look around at will. Everyone's mind is focused on checking technical information.

After three days of work, the Y-20 strategic transport aircraft finally completed the design review. It received unanimous praise from experts, who gave high evaluations. In the end, it successfully passed the design review.

When Liu Tao announced the results, everyone applauded loudly!

There was a burst of applause in the conference hall.

The Y-20 design team hugged each other, clapped their hands, and couldn't help crying with red eyes. They had devoted several years to the Y-20 project, and now the detailed design had been approved, which was a recognition of their work over the years.

Liu Tao also gave them applause. The Y-20 strategic transport aircraft project has extraordinary significance for China.

Except for the An-225 and Il-76 transport aircraft, all the Soviet-made transport aircraft that China had previously introduced will be retired in 2015. They will either be used as civilian transport aircraft after maintenance or exported to other countries as second-hand goods. They will inevitably be replaced by domestically produced military transport aircraft.

这里面，运7、运8、运13、运10都无法承担这个重任，能够承担这个重任的只有运20战略运输机。

Coupled with the construction and transformation of China's military, it means that in the next 20 years, the Chinese Air Force will need at least 200 Y-20 strategic transport aircraft!
This time, the United States mobilized a large number of transport aircraft, especially the C-17 'Globemaster III' to carry out large-scale paratrooper airdrops and transport weapons and equipment to the battlefield, which shocked the world.

In a short period of time, the United States' strategic transport aircraft delivered 80,000 people and a corresponding large amount of weapons and equipment to the rear of the battlefield. This capability was so shocking that even the Chinese military was shocked.

The C-1000 'Globemaster III' dared to land on the simple 17-meter runway on the battlefield and transported weapons out continuously.

In this regard, China is far behind.

Although the Il-76 is also a good transport aircraft, its maximum load capacity is 76 tons and its avionics system is backward, making it insufficient for future military strategic and tactical combat missions.

The next day, Liu Tao participated in the roll-out of the WS-20 engine.

This WS-20 engine, the exact model is the 'WS-20A' engine, weighing 2 tons and having a thrust-to-weight ratio of 12.5 tons; and the improved WS-20B engine with a thrust-to-weight ratio of 16 tons and the improved WS-20C engine with a thrust-to-weight ratio of 18 tons will be launched later.

After all, the Y-20 strategic transport aircraft, which has now completed detailed design, uses the 'WS-20A' and will be further improved later.

The engine is the heart of the aircraft and largely determines the performance of the transport aircraft. Under the same circumstances, if equipped with the 'WS-20B' engine, the range will be increased by at least 30%!

Now, dozens of aircraft engine models have been developed in the Panshan Group system.

As advanced aircraft engines continue to be finalized and mass-produced, the overall level of China's aviation engine industry has also reached the world's advanced level. The engine industry chain has great driving force and has made great contributions to economic development. Many technologies have also been widely used.

It is precisely because of advanced aircraft engines that we have advanced aircraft.

It is impossible to develop advanced aircraft without backward aircraft engines.

It is precisely because of the importance of aircraft engines that they are hailed as the 'flower of industry' and are regarded as an important manifestation of a country's scientific, industrial and national defense strength.

Ordinary people only see that Guizhou Aircraft Group has launched one aircraft after another, but behind this is the continuous progress in materials, the progress in aviation engines, and the progress in the technical level of the scientific research team. (End of this chapter)