Chapter 330: Introduction of MiG-23
"Our current J-8 still has nose air intake, which makes it impossible to accommodate large radar equipment. Although it has twin engines, the fuselage is more slender and has limited combat capabilities." Air Force Commander General Zhang was the first to express his opinion: "Our army has used the J-7 to defend the airspace for nearly 20 years. We can't wait any longer and must equip ourselves with advanced fighters as soon as possible! Everyone has seen today's air battle. Even if our boys have the courage to fight the enemy in the sky, they cannot shoot the enemy down. I think we must introduce the MiG-23 as soon as possible to improve the combat effectiveness of our air force."
The Air Force is most eager for new fighter jets. It is helpless to rely on the old J-6 and J-7 to guard the motherland's airspace. However, limited by the domestic technical level, the development of new fighter jets is quite difficult. So many models in history have failed without exception. Now the J-8, a twin-engine large version modified on the basis of the J-7, has been under development for so many years, and it is still unknown whether it can be equipped with troops.
Therefore, the Air Force Commander first stated that the MiG-23 is very powerful and we need it very much!
"Can we import a small number of them and improve our J-8 fighter jets based on the MiG-23?" Mr. Gu from Shenfei carefully raised this suggestion.
It now seems that the Air Force is quite satisfied with the MiG-23 and has already expressed its intention to import it. So the next question is how many should be imported? If it imports dozens of aircraft, then Shenyang Aircraft Corporation's J-8 may still be mass-produced. If it imports nearly 100 aircraft, and even has to use a production line to produce them, then Shenyang Aircraft Corporation's J-8 will definitely be discontinued.
After all, this is the main project of Shenyang Aircraft Corporation. In order to produce the J-8 and J-7, all of them were handed over to Chengfei for production. If the J-8 project is cancelled, Shenyang Aircraft Corporation will lose the opportunity to develop its own fighter jets and can only survive by assembling MiG-23.
"For example, we can use the nose of the MiG-23 and install it on our J-8 fighter. In this way, the J-8 can be improved to have air intakes on both sides, and there is also space to install a large radar." General Gu continued: "We can use this fighter to conduct interception operations."
"Even if the J-8 is changed to a two-sided air intake, can it have the performance of the MiG-23?" General Zhang continued, "The MiG-23's variable swept wing gives it excellent performance in various situations. Our J-8, even if it is changed to a two-sided air intake, cannot defeat the MiG-23 in a dogfight, nor can it achieve a rapid assault in a long-distance intercept. Since we now have the opportunity to introduce the MiG-23, why don't we introduce this fighter and then improve it based on this fighter? Isn't it better?"
Introduce the MiG-23 and a full set of production technology, and then based on the MiG-23, improve various advanced fighter jets to serve as the main fighter jets of the Chinese Air Force within the next 20 years!
"Yes, it is improved on the basis of the MiG-23, and has greater potential than our J-8. I also agree to introduce the MiG-23." Tang Zong, chief designer of Shenfei, said: "We are now developing the WS-6 engine, which should be able to be equipped on the MiG-23. By replacing the WS-6 engine, we can get a lower fuel consumption rate to increase the range. At the same time, we also have a replica of the Spey engine. If the rear fuselage of the MiG-23 is redesigned and two Spey engines are inserted, we can even turn this engine into a twin-engine heavy fighter that can take on the task of a fighter-bomber."
WS-6 is a tragic project of China Airlines. It was established in 1964 to develop a turbofan engine with a thrust-to-weight ratio of 6 to equip the planned J-9. After more than ten years of development, it has overcome various difficulties and is finally usable. Moreover, the improved WS-6, code-named WS6G, was further developed on the basis of WS6. While keeping the original engine dimensions unchanged, the maximum afterburner thrust of the engine is increased to 138.2 kN, the maximum thrust is increased to 83.3 kN, and the thrust-to-weight ratio is increased to 7.05. If this plan is achieved, it will become a high-thrust turbofan engine with the same performance as the West. Unfortunately, in history, in the early 1980s, the J-9 and Q-6 aircraft plans were successively discontinued, and the WS-6, which was used as its supporting power, lost its user. Due to the adjustment of the national economic plan, the funding for the WS-6 was stopped. In early 1984, the development plan was cancelled.
China's dream of owning an advanced power heart has been shattered. Any aircraft model in the future has been dragged down by the engine. If the Su-27 has not been introduced from Russia, the plan for the J-10 will be a long way off. Moreover, even the J-20 has to use engines imported from Russia.
The WS-6 is from the Shenyang Liming Engine Factory, which is also a subsidiary of Shenyang Aircraft Corporation. Now, if the MiG-23 is introduced, it is obvious that not only the J-8 project will be greatly affected, but even the planned J-9 project will have to be cancelled. After all, the J-9's indicators are too high, which has long exceeded the technical capabilities of Shenyang Aircraft Corporation and the entire Chinese aviation industry! Now, it is so difficult to develop a twin-engine version of the J-7, not to mention the new development of a twin-engine fighter.
If the J-9 is discontinued, the WS-6 will be in trouble. Since the MiG-23 is to be introduced, it might as well find a new target for the WS-6! After all, the turbojet engine is outdated, and the turbofan is the mainstream!
Moreover, another major event in China's defense industry is the introduction of the Spey engine. This engine has mature technology and can be used at any time. It can also be used as a backup plan for the MiG-23. However, it is also a major operation to modify the rear fuselage and insert twin engines. He didn't know that the Soviet Union already had a twin-engine improved plan at this time.
Even Mr. Tang agreed to introduce the MiG-23! Mr. Gu could only feel helpless in his heart. It seemed that the J-8 project must be cancelled. With the introduction of this fighter, the immature J-8 was forgotten like a baby in swaddling clothes.
"It now seems that the introduction of the MiG-23 is a major event for our aviation industry. In principle, our Third Machine Department also recommends the introduction of this world-leading fighter to improve our overall domestic aviation level and the combat effectiveness of our troops." The Minister of the Third Machine Department said: "However, the introduction of the MiG-23 is a major event. We must send an inspection team to the Soviet Union for a field investigation. At the same time, I suggest that we also inspect the Soviet Union's MiG-25 fighters and discuss the possibility of introducing the MiG-25 fighters at the same time."