Back in 1978, I was admitted to Northwestern Polytechnical University.

Chapter 466 WS-10, lifting up the war eagle of the East!
It doesn't have any impact? How can it not have any impact?
Look at all the American airlines, they're all coming to you to place orders, and I hear they've already put down their orders!

Steiner was furious: "So you're blaming us?"

"Of course, we can't entirely blame you. After all, when we cooperated, we did have an agreement that we couldn't transfer our supersonic cruiser technology to a third party, and that we would have to consult with you before developing other similar passenger aircraft based on this technology, so..."

"So, the conventional version you developed didn't use the technology from the Sonic Cruiser?"

"Yes, the most important part of the supersonic cruiser technology is the wing design, with canards in front and main wings in the back. This layout is what allowed the aircraft to fly at Mach 0.98. Now, we are going to change to a conventional layout, which of course has nothing to do with the supersonic cruiser technology."

"What about the fuselage? What about the avionics?"

"The fuselage design is our own, and we used a lot of composite materials in it. As for avionics, that's also our technology, and other passenger planes use it too. You wouldn't even restrict this kind of technology, would you?"

Steiner's body jolted.

The other party's words had a deeper meaning. If Boeing continued to pursue the matter, they could simply part ways, which would completely halt Boeing's 7E7 production! This is because the United States lacks suitable composite materials, and only the East has them in the world!

"Good, good, good!"

You planned this all along, didn't you?
Steiner spoke through gritted teeth, but Qin Liang didn't care: "Of course it's good. This isn't our first collaboration with Boeing; we've worked very well before! There will be more collaborations in the future. The spaceplane project is progressing very smoothly..."

There are also collaborative projects. If you complain and express various dissatisfactions here, Northwestern Polytechnical University may terminate the project at any time and may choose to cooperate with other companies, such as McDonnell Douglas!

Steiner felt a tightness in his chest, unable to release it.

"You and McDonnell Douglas..."

"Sigh, McDonnell Douglas came to us crying and begging for cooperation. What could we do? But rest assured, our cooperation project with McDonnell Douglas will absolutely not affect Boeing. We are only cooperating on a regional jet."

You're still unwilling? You're actually very happy, aren't you? You're trying to have your cake and eat it too!
Next, McDonnell Douglas will naturally help with the airworthiness certificate for the new aircraft, and it will not encounter any difficulties.

Didn't those idiots at McDonnell Douglas realize that the growth of the Eastern Airlines was a huge threat to the entire American aviation industry? And those damned capitalists, thinking about saving money now, will only make things more tragic when they become completely dependent on the Eastern Airlines!
He rushed over but didn't get anything done. Qin Liang was very friendly and warmly invited him to have a meal at the Shanghai Aircraft Factory, and even saw him off to the plane.

On the plane, Steiner grew angrier and angrier. Suddenly, he tasted blood in his throat and vomited.

"Mr. Steiner!"

"It's alright, it's alright. I'll resign as soon as I get back. Boeing needs a new leader!"

Steiner had already foreseen Boeing's decline, and he no longer wanted to manage it. The money he had earned over the years was enough for his retirement!

Shanghai Engine Factory.

"Fantastic! Our ten-ton-class civil aviation turbofan has finally passed the endurance test!" Mark Robertson exclaimed excitedly. "Two thousand five hundred hours—that's already reached world-class standards!"

A military aircraft's overhaul life of over 1,000 hours is considered very good. For civilian airliner engines, an overhaul life of 2,000 hours is the most incredible. Of course, in later generations, this figure could reach 4,000 hours.

However, this was only in the 1980s!
The engine on the test bench ran for a full 2,500 hours, which is Rolls-Royce's best achievement!
"Everyone, there might still be room for improvement. Once we take the engine apart and inspect it, we might be able to increase this time to three thousand hours," Engineer Zhang said with a smile.

He was also very happy. You know, previously, domestic aero engines needed major overhauls every two or three hundred hours. Cooperating with Rolls-Royce is really different!

“That’s right, this engine will rewrite the history of aircraft engines worldwide!” Mark Robertson said proudly. “This is also a great achievement for Rolls-Royce! I need to report this to the European Aviation Safety Agency and request an airworthiness certificate for this engine!”

The world’s two major aviation authorities, the European and American ones, mutually certify each other; a certificate issued by one is recognized by the other.

In other words, our Shanghai engine factory's products don't need the US's approval at all!
"Everyone, I'm late. What good news do you have?"

"Qin!" Mark Robertson turned his head, saw Qin Liang, and exclaimed excitedly, "Our collaborative project has been a complete success!"

"Good, not bad. Our C909 and C919 will both have the world's most advanced engines!"

There's one more thing I can't say in front of the British: our fighter jets will finally have top-notch turbofan engines!

"That's right, we can also upgrade many other aircraft, Airbus, Boeing... We can absolutely compete with Pratt & Whitney and General Electric in the civilian engine market! The biggest feature of our engines is... they're cheap!"

Engines produced in the East have a clear cost advantage, making them highly competitive in the international market!
Although Rolls-Royce only had a 20% stake in the project after several rounds of negotiations, the increased number of engines sold meant they still received a considerable share of the profits!
"Hmm, that's good, not bad!"

Qin Liang's gaze was fixed on the engine on the test bench, his eyes shining brightly. His heart problem was finally about to be perfectly resolved!
His gaze finally settled on the small control box below the engine. Thanks to advanced electronic technology, this engine naturally uses full electronic control and has many sensors. Its technological content is absolutely world-class!
"Everyone, today is a great day, we need to celebrate! Let's go to the Huating Hotel, it's on me!"

"Long live!"

Qin Liang was stunned when he heard the British shout such a slogan. Were these people also gradually being orientalized?
"We need to go back and change into formal attire!" Hearing the British say this, Qin Liang finally realized that although they had been in the East for a long time, they still retained the aristocratic demeanor of the Anglo-Saxons at heart.

If it were us... what clothes would we need to change into?

After the British left, Qin Liang looked at the people around him.

"Engineer Zhang, how's the development of our fighter jet engine going?"

"It's already on the test bench." Engineer Zhang said excitedly, "We've reduced the fan diameter to 932 millimeters, and the overall engine diameter is 1160 millimeters. This can meet the engine compartment requirements of several existing fighter jets. Of course, the thrust has also been significantly reduced, with an intermediate thrust of 8.5 tons and an afterburner thrust of 12.8 tons..."

"Not bad, very good! What about the weight and lifespan?" Qin Liang nodded in satisfaction. Although the engine's thrust was not as good as the WP-15 turbojet engine, its fuel consumption was low, its lifespan was long, and its overall performance was greatly improved!

"The lifespan is still being tested. Overall, the overhaul lifespan can be guaranteed to be 1,000 hours. After three overhauls, the overall engine lifespan can reach 4,000 hours. As for the weight... it is about 1.5 tons."

Dividing 12.8 by 1.5 gives you... 8.5?

"That's a pretty good thrust-to-weight ratio!"

"Yes, this is calculated based on dry weight. If lubricating oil is added, the weight will increase further. However, it has already reached the world's advanced level, comparable to the American F100 and F110," Engineer Zhang said with a smile.

Finally succeeded!
The specifications of the WS-6 turbofan engine, the thrust-to-weight ratio of the F110, the reliability of the third-generation turbofan engine... all of these are combined together!

"Great job, everyone!"

"No, we didn't have to work hard at all, Qin. It's all thanks to your operation, otherwise... our WS-10 turbofan engine would probably take another ten years to develop... By the way, now that this commercial airliner is officially launched on the international market, it needs a code name, right?"

During the research and development phase, everyone has been calling it the ten-ton-class turbofan. Now that it's about to be finalized, it needs a new code name!
"Do the British have code names?"

"Yes, they should still name it after RB. I heard they'll give it the code name RB230."

Rolls-Royce's engine names have been changing over time.

In the early days, they named their homes after figures or rivers from Greek or Norse mythology, such as Olympus, Thor, and Spey.

After they acquired Bristol-Siddley in 1966, they began using RB as the designation, with the subsequent number being the project code for research and development.

For example, RB199 on the Gale is the 199th project, and RB211 is the 211th project.

Now, it's the 230th project yet, thankfully not the 250th.

However, after the 1990s, Rolls-Royce will change again, with civilian models reverting to military naming conventions, such as the Rheinland (RB) becoming a dedicated military designation. As for us…

"Since our project was named WS-10 from the beginning, let's just keep calling it WS-10!"

"How do you distinguish it from our military equipment?"

"For civilian use, there's the WS-10A; for military use, there's the WS-10B; and later there will be a C, and even a D. What do you think?"

Changing the project name would mean that many people would be unable to sign their names on it, so Qin Liang didn't think it was necessary to change the name.

Our domestic aero engines have always been named according to turbofan and turbojet, and we can continue to do so for now!

As for civilian or military use... the F110 has a long history with the GFM-56, so it's not a big deal!
“Okay, let’s name it that way!” Engineer Zhang nodded. “By the way, the military-grade WS-10B turbofan engine is undergoing bench testing at Factory 410. When…when do you have time to go and take a look?”

"Was it produced by Factory 410?" Qin Liang suddenly became a little worried.

"They only produce afterburners and exhaust nozzles."

Qin Liang breathed a sigh of relief.

The most intricate part of an aircraft engine is its dual-rotor structure, especially the hot-end components at the rear, and then there's the afterburner...

The afterburner is located behind the turbine and has no effect on the front. For turbojet engines, the main function is to utilize the oxygen that is not completely consumed in the main combustion chamber, while for turbofan engines, fresh air from the bypass duct can also be used.

Therefore, turbojet engines don't produce much thrust from afterburners, since less than 20% of the oxygen remains in the main combustion chamber, while turbofans have more oxygen in their bypass ducts. So, engaging afterburner generally increases thrust by about half, but of course, it also leads to a rapid increase in fuel consumption.

These things, if nothing unexpected happens, should have been transplanted from the WS-6 turbofan engine!
"Over there, they're still developing the vector nozzle. Comrade Qin Liang, they may have had some shortcomings before, but now... they've adjusted their mindset, so..."

Hearing Zhang Gong say this, Qin Liang smiled and said, "Personally, I have no prejudice against them. I always judge things by their actions, not their personalities. If they can change their previous wrong ideas and pursue progress, I will certainly support them."

Engineer Zhang breathed a sigh of relief.

Not only was Factory 410 located in Shenyang, but Institute 606 was also in Shenyang. Although the WS-6 turbofan engine was prototyped by Factory 410, the design work was actually completed by Institute 606. In a sense, they also bear responsibility for the failure of the WS-6 engine.

Now that our former colleagues are starting to recover, we have to give them a chance!
Qin Liang is not a petty person. Although he sometimes speaks harshly, he also hopes that domestic enterprises can revitalize themselves through reform!

That evening, the Huating Hotel was bustling with activity, everyone clinking glasses and drinking, and even the British got quite drunk.

"Come on, Qin, cheers! The future of Rolls-Royce lies in the East!"

"Our future in Europe lies in the East! I heard that our Eurofighter upgrades are going smoothly, and McDonnell Douglas is getting restless, demanding that their F-18s also get a facelift. Eastern technology is truly amazing!"

"Yes, cooperation is a win-win situation!"

"Now that the RB230 project has come to an end, I wonder... if we'll ever have the chance to collaborate on another engine?"

"Mr. Robertson, do you have any new ideas? As far as I know, having filled the gap in ten-ton-class turbofans, we probably have nothing more to develop, right?"

Two ten-ton-class turbofan engines can be used on regional jets, and four can be used on mainline jets. Not to mention the current trend of twin-engine layouts, the RB211's thrust of twenty to thirty tons makes it a versatile engine. What other engine needs to be developed?

Rolls-Royce has engines that weigh several tons for trainer aircraft.

Rolls-Royce also has medium-thrust engines for fighter jets!
"We've heard that you have a top-secret project with the United States to develop a variable cycle engine, including turbofans, turbojet engines, ramjet engines... all of which can be combined. Could we... also get involved?"

Sure enough, these guys weren't content with the existing projects. As engineers, they wanted to explore more advanced projects, but...

Do you have research and development funding?

Robertson paused for a moment, then realized... there really wasn't one!
Their profits were all taken by the British government. In the past two years, the national economy has been sluggish and lifeless from top to bottom. Only Rolls-Royce is still profitable!

“Our R&D projects with the US are very expensive. As for the technology… the US also has it. If you want to join, you have to invest. My friend, I advise you to give up! It’s good enough to stick with the existing projects.”

The British fell silent. Lack of money was their biggest pain. When did the British Empire, on which the sun never sets, fall to such a state?
"Come on, drink!"

That evening, the British got very drunk.

After drinking, Qin Liang followed Engineer Zhang and others onto a plane and flew directly to Shenyang.

The next day, at dawn, under the glow of the morning sun, everyone entered Factory 410.

A red banner was hanging at the factory gate.

A warm welcome to Comrade Qin Liang for his visit and guidance!

Just looking at this banner made Qin Liang frown. Was this the same old formalistic style? If so…

"Comrade Qin Liang, welcome to our Factory 410 for your inspection!" Director Zhao greeted him warmly.

"Let's go and take a look at the engine being tested on the test bench. Is the data accurate and reliable this time?"

"Of course, we recorded the whole process! The military representative even observed it! Besides, our factory just added an afterburner and a tailpipe, how could it be anything but mature! You've come at the right time, the 1,000-hour endurance test is about to end!"

The group arrived at the engine testing workshop and heard the engine roar gradually decrease and then stop in the distance.

"Now, I declare that the durability test of the WS-10B engine has been successfully completed! Next, we will disassemble the engine and inspect its condition!"

Qin Liang went inside and saw an officer giving orders.

Having a military representative around makes all the difference!

They probably won't be able to cheat this time!
"Oh, Comrade Qin Liang, you've arrived?" The military representative turned around and was very pleased to see the group of people entering.

"Xiao Wang?" Isn't that one of the clerks from the aircraft building? What's he doing here?
"The WS-10B project is of great importance. The higher-ups were worried, so they sent me here to oversee it personally." Xiao Wang seemed to know what Qin Liang was worried about and said, "Comrade Qin Liang, the data for this WS-10B is absolutely genuine. Next, it will be installed and tested. According to the advice of the higher-ups, it should be installed on the twin-engine Q-6 first."

Bench testing cannot simulate all actual conditions, and various problems may arise when the aircraft is put into operation.

The single-engine J-9 cannot be matched with this brand-new engine; if it stalls in the air, it will lose power.

"Yes, I hope you will continue your efforts and push forward the engine testing to support our Eastern Warhawk!"

"Comrade Qin Liang, we've also developed a two-dimensional vector nozzle. Would you... like to give us some pointers?"

Qin Liang had mentioned vector nozzles at a previous meeting, and everyone assumed that Northwestern Polytechnical University had the technology. In reality, it was just Qin Liang talking off the cuff. Of course, it wouldn't be difficult to develop one.

Now that Factory 410 exists, let's take a look.

Qin Liang then turned his gaze to the engine nozzle.

The engine being tested, of course, doesn't use a two-dimensional vector nozzle; it's just a conventional one... wait, this nozzle... is just a purely convergent ejector nozzle.
This is clearly second-generation fighter technology! What happened to the pursuit of progress?
(End of this chapter)