Zhao Yi frowned and asked, "We can first manufacture a prototype, and after it is adjusted well, if there is a difference in performance, we can make fine adjustnts to the J-31’s design or correct the engine’s performance."
Li Jianmin thought about it and nodded, "This is also feasible, but I still have to discuss the general paraters with others when I return, and communicate with other departnts..."
He went on and on about it.
Zhao Yi listened for a long ti and then asked straightforwardly, "Professor Li, about how much ti will it take?"
"...A few months, I guess!"
Zhao Yi frowned again, "Can’t it be shorter?" A few months seed too long; a prototype couldn’t be produced overnight. Just setting the paraters would take several months, with all that ti wasted in waiting.
Li Jianming shook his head apologetically.
The two didn’t co to an agreent.
Perhaps it wasn’t accurate to say they hadn’t co to an agreent; the atmosphere was still very polite, mainly because the J-31 truly couldn’t be finalized in design, and even the general paraters couldn’t be provided.
After Li Jianming had left, Gao Mingfu offered words of comfort, "Academician Zhao, actually, a few months is already quite fast in comparison to designing a fighter jet. The construction of the J-31 is definitely a long-term task."
"Forget the J-31 that hasn’t even been finalized in design; even the J-20, which has already been test-flown, will have to go through many modifications to its specific design, and perhaps even its engine will have to be replaced. Isn’t the Kunlun team aiming for the J-20?"
Zhao Yi shook his head gloomily, "But still, several months is too long. I’m just asking for paraters, and besides... these kinds of things, if soone says several months, it might even drag out to a year, or longer."
Gao Mingfu did not argue, he implicitly agreed with Zhao Yi’s point.
Carrying his gloominess, Zhao Yi returned to the hotel, but still feeling uneasy, he quickly headed back and sought out Liu Jiankun.
Liu Jiankun, after finishing the follow-up work for the eting, had just returned to his office and was planning to rest for a mont. Afterwards, he still had to deal with several designers, managers, and military representatives. His work was indeed very busy.
At that mont, the assistant reported, "Academician Zhao has arrived."
"Coming right away."
Liu Jiankun stood up and walked out, eting Zhao Yi in the adjacent reception room, "Academician Zhao, didn’t you go back to the hotel?"
"There’s a problem with the J-31’s design."
Zhao Yi said gloomily and asked, "I ca here to ask if manufacturing a prototype for an engine requires adjustnt based on the paraters given by the designated aircraft?"
"That’s the case."
Liu Jiankun nodded and explained, "Once the prototype is manufactured and adjusted, it can be directly mounted on the aircraft for test flight. Without a designated aircraft, even if the engine is manufactured, it can’t be used imdiately; an engine that doesn’t fly is just for experintation, and no one knows for sure if its performance is stable."
"But the design problem of the J-31 has delayed our progress," Zhao Yi said, frowning. "If they can’t determine the parater range, do we just have to keep waiting?"
"Theoretically, yes," Liu Jiankun said after a long silence, explaining, "Here’s the situation. Within the group, the engine developnt team and the fighter design team are integrated and directly related; they haven’t been made independent. If we were overseas, the engine team would be an independent departnt and could freely conduct research and developnt. However, accordingly, that would consu a lot of funds because we don’t have any successful precedents for our self-developed turbofan engines, so it has always been this way."
"Is there any other way?" Zhao Yi asked bluntly.
After thinking for a mont, Liu Jiankun tentatively suggested a solution, "Designating another fighter jet?"
"That’s possible!"
"But..."
Liu Jiankun said, "Now we only have J-31 for the fifth-generation fighter design. The J-20 is a heavy fighter and its design has already been finalized; the engine may not be changed, adapting to the Kunlun group is only to provide them with one to experint with."
"Because the J-20 will probably be produced in dozens, even hundreds, in the future. If it could use self-developed engines, the cost would definitely be significantly lower, and our own technology would also be improved."
"Speaking of fifth-generation aircraft, what we need most is a high-end carrier-based aircraft. It must be light and agile, capable of supersonic flight, preferably supersonic cruising, with a maximum range exceeding 1800 kiloters, and able to carry at least three missiles..."
Liu Jiankun listed a multitude of requirents in succession.
Zhao Yi felt overwheld listening to it and began to understand why Li Jianming couldn’t finalize the design.
Then he proposed, "How about this, since we’re waiting for the J-31 to be finalized, why doesn’t our Warhawk team, who are idling anyway, apply to design a fighter jet that matches the WZ-A1?"
"As long as the design passes, can we start the production of the WZ-A1 prototype?"
Liu Jiankun was stunned and took a long ti before he nodded, "...Ah, yes. But Academician Zhao, you don’t have experience in designing fighter jets, do you?"
"So what?"
Zhao Yi said, "Just giving it a try. The design alone shouldn’t cost much, right? What if it works out?"
"...That’s true?"
"Then let’s settle on that. I’ll submit the application, and you’ll approve it, right?"
"Ah, alright, no problem!" Liu Jiankun affird with a nod. He was dazed for a long while, watching Zhao Yi’s departing figure, as his mind seed to co to a halt.
Because the fighter jet’s final design delayed the prototype manufacturing, might as well design our own fighter jet?
This...
Logically, that seems to make sense?
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