The rise of a great power: starting with military industry

Chapter 899 Market Potential and Multi-Purpose Helicopters
J-11F fighter, which is the export version of the J-11B.

Therefore, it is only because of the J-11B fighter that the J-11F fighter improvement team was established.

Similar to the work of the J-11E fighter improvement team, this is to make performance adjustments based on export requirements.

The export prices of the J-10 and J-11 fighter jets are high, which are only slightly cheaper than the similar F16 and F15. The only countries that can afford these two aircraft are definitely poor countries, only the wealthy in the Middle East and some developed countries.

The largest customer group is still the wealthy people in the Middle East.

Moreover, due to the agreement with the Americans, some countries cannot export, such as Iraq, which cannot export the J-11 fighter jets. Even the J-10 fighter jets cannot be exported now.

As for Persia, we cannot export J-11 and J-10 fighter jets to Persia now because the Americans have not yet lifted all sanctions on Persia.

The largest customer is Saudi Arabia, with a market potential of about 20 aircraft in the next 500 years. As for advanced trainer aircraft, the two sides have signed an order to deliver 120 "Eagle" advanced trainer aircraft and 120 K8 primary trainer aircraft in the next ten years. In terms of helicopters, the two sides have signed an order for 200 "Ray Sculptor" helicopters in the next fifteen years.

Secondly, there are five Middle Eastern countries, namely Kuwait, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Oman, which have the potential to produce two to three hundred J-10 and J-11 fighter jets in the future.

The last one is Pakistan, but Pakistan’s economic strength is limited, and its market potential in the next 20 years is probably only about 200 aircraft.

Other countries such as African, Latin American and Southeast Asian countries will hardly have markets in the next 20 years or will not be suitable for export. The only country that may have some potential is the Thai Air Force.

In return, Southeast Asia, India, South Korea and other countries will not be equipped with American third-generation aircraft.

The most that Panshan Group exports to Brazil and Argentina are the J-7 series fighter jets and the J-8 series fighter jets, which the Americans do not even take seriously.

It can be said that the main market for the J-10 and J-11 fighter jets is actually still in China.

According to Liu Tao's estimation, China's domestic market potential requires approximately 2500 J-10 series fighters and 800 J-11 series fighters.

If China wants to have a large air force to ensure airspace sovereignty, then it will definitely need so many air forces.

In the future, China's Air Force will need both quality and quantity.

After all, China has a vast land area and a large territorial waters.

As long as Guizhou Aircraft Industry Group devotes its full efforts to production, in about 15 years, that is, by 2010, the Chinese Air Force will be able to possess so many J-10 and J-11 fighter jets.

At the latest, it can be achieved by 2015, provided that funding is available.

Before leaving Guizhou Fei Group, Liu Tao visited the Helicopter Research Center.

In addition to improving the different application versions of the "Ray Sculpture" helicopter, light helicopters and medium helicopters are also being developed. In the past, helicopters have always been China's shortcoming. More than a decade ago, there were only a small number of Gazelle ultra-light armed helicopters that could only fire some rockets.

The Gazelle light helicopter was jointly developed by the French Aerospace Company and the British Westland Helicopter Company. It is intended to replace the Skylark II helicopter. The design of this helicopter began in 1964. It uses the transmission system of the Skylark II helicopter, Turbomeca's Astec III engine and rotor blades jointly developed with Germany's Berkov. It first flew in 1967.

This light helicopter has a rotor diameter of 10.5 meters, a rotor disc area of ​​86.59 square meters, a tail rotor diameter of 0.695 meters, a tail rotor disc area of ​​0.37 square meters, a length of 11.97 meters (rotor rotating), a fuselage length of 9.53 meters, a width of 2.04 meters (rotor folded), a height of 2.72 meters (to the top of the rotor hub), an empty weight of 999 kg, a maximum external weight of 700 kg, a maximum take-off weight of 2000 kg, a maximum allowable speed of 280 kilometers per hour (sea level), a maximum cruising speed of 260 kilometers per hour, a climb rate of 7.8 meters per second, a practical ceiling of 4100 meters, a hovering altitude of 3040 meters (in ground effect), and a range of 710 kilometers.

Later, China imported "Black Hawk" helicopters from the United States. As the price of "Black Hawk" helicopters soared and China developed its own "Ray Sculptor" helicopters, the military used "Ray Sculptor" helicopters and the originally imported "Black Hawk" helicopters as armed helicopters, transport helicopters, search and rescue helicopters, anti-submarine helicopters, early warning helicopters, and communication helicopters.

In other words, as a general-purpose helicopter, the 'Ray Sculpture' helicopter is able to meet the needs of different application scenarios by enhancing its functionality on the basis of the 'Ray Sculpture' helicopter.

The 'Ray Sculpture' helicopter is advanced, but it does not mean that light helicopters and medium helicopters are no longer needed, because this involves economic considerations.

The cost of operating a 'laser' helicopter is not cheap.

If there are light helicopters and medium helicopters, the cost of use will be further reduced.

Luxury cars are good, but mid-range and low-end cars are also needed.

The Helicopter Research Center is currently developing a light helicopter and a medium helicopter.

The development of these two helicopters is now coming to an end.

'Swift' single-rotor multi-purpose light helicopter, crew of 2, load capacity of 14 infantry or 6 stretchers 2000 kg (internal) 2750 kg (external), rotor diameter 13.5 meters, height 4.6 meters, disk area 143.1 square meters, loaded weight 6000 kg, maximum take-off weight 6500 kg, power plant uses two turboshaft engines, 956 kW, 1282 horsepower. Maximum speed 300 km/h, cruising speed 275 km/h, range 615 km, practical ceiling 5150 meters, climb rate 10.4 m/s.

The 'Golden Eagle' multi-purpose helicopter is 19.4 meters long, 5.23 meters high, with a rotor diameter of 16 meters, an empty weight of 6.4 tons, a maximum take-off weight of 10.6 tons, a maximum speed of 310 kilometers per hour, a maximum range of 1100 kilometers, a ceiling of 6000 meters, and is powered by two turboshaft engines, each with a power output of 1662 kilowatts.

Once these two multi-purpose helicopters are successfully developed, different models of helicopters will be developed, including ultra-light helicopters like the 'Gazelle' helicopter.

After all, different helicopters have different uses.

For example, Liu Tao plans to develop a heavy-duty helicopter by himself, a heavy-duty helicopter of about 20 tons, or even a 30-ton, 40-ton or even 50-ton heavy-duty helicopter. Liu Tao also has this idea.

There are other helicopters in the country, but they are all imitations of Soviet helicopters. Some helicopters have also been developed, but their performance is still not as good as that of the Soviet helicopters.

Liu Tao learned about the progress and estimated that in another year, the pre-production helicopter would be able to make its maiden flight. Once the maiden flight is completed, the subsequent work would be much easier.

Liu Tao was quite pleased in his heart. After years of continuous investment, he finally saw obvious progress. Compared with one or two aircraft, he actually valued the training and growth of talents more. Because as long as there are enough talents, not to mention one or two aircraft, even ten aircraft can be produced!
(End of this chapter)