A Brief History of WS-6 Turbofan engine:

In the 1960s, young People China just recovered from bloody civil war and Korea war. Chinese people established primary aviation industry by the captured Japan planes in Manchuria and help from CCCP. To China, Aircraft engine was like a high mountain to impossible overcome because of the so complicated machining technologies and advanced materials production. However, China never says gives up. In 1961, 606 engine Design Institute was founded and it had begun to focus on the era’s most senior aircraft engine—-Turbofan engine. Under the direct order from General Chief Staff Gen. Luo Ruiqing, Chinese researchers began the preliminary technical preparation.

In May 1964, Chinese PLA Airforce announced to require a new fighter which was better than J-7 (Mig-21). Hereafter, Shenyang 601 Aircraft Design Institute and 606 engine Design Institute cooperated to provide the plan. After the consultant between Airforce and industries, the new fighter would come out in two steps. One, to design a new frame with two improved turbines (it is the origin of J-8 fighter and WP-7A turbine engine); two, a whole new high altitude and high-speed interceptor equipped with a new afterburning turbofan. The serial code of the interceptor was J-9 and the new engine was WS-6.

The argumentation of WS-6 was finished in September 1965. May 1966, the project was turned into trial production. In June 1968, the first experimental WS-6 engine was test on platform. However, Cultural Revolution seriously interrupted the research of WS-6. In 1970, some PLA leaders required large jet transporters. For this difficult project, China began to get WS-6A engine from WS-6, which was using single stage fan and middle compressor. The airflow and bypass ratio increased and get off the afterburner. China produced 3 WS-6A engines. But the project was cancelled just because the jet airlift was too unpractical for Mao’s China. This improper behavior also diverse the research team of WS-6. Until October 1980, the performance of WS-6 had reached the design target. Then 24 months later, WS-6 passed the 24 hours preliminary flight rating test, PFRT. The whole testing time was totally 334 hours. In 1980, 606 Institute also designed WS-6G, an improved type of WS-6. This modified type has higher low pressure rotor speed, three-stage fan and higher turbine inlet temperature. And former cannular combustor of WS-6 was turned to annular combustor in WS-6G. Under the same size and lightening 100 kg from WS-6, WS-6G’s afterburning thrust raised 13.2% and thrust to weight ratio up 18.9%. In February 1982, WS-6G entered quasi demonstration engine test. The accomplishment of expected thrust proved the technical feasibility of WS-6G.

From 1965 to 1984, What Chinese people get is a semi-finished turbofan engine, which is still in 1960s. No flight-test and lots of works were waiting to be finished. Under the most optimistic estimation, WS-6 will be realized in later 1980s. As being a thrust to weight ration of 6, WS-6 is just a second-generation engine and has 30 years gap with USA and Russia.WS-6G’s thrust to weight ratio is 7 and its initial work just began in early 1980s. WS-6G’s technologies and high reliable materials were hardly resolved at that time. By China’s estimate, WS-6G was going to be finished in mid 1990s, but it still not a third generation aircraft engine which can not be applied with China’s next generation fighter (J-10). Besides, the WS-9 turbofan engine (Code Name: Qingling), a strypped-down of Britain’s 1970s product Spey MK 202, was being carried on and this project was finished in 2002. The copy of Spey MK 202 also tells a truth that the project of WS-6 and WS-6G are impossible missions.