The origin of the abbreviation CJ is Zhang Jiangthe Chinese name for the Yangtze River.
The engine was designed to replace the imported Leap engine currently installed on the C919, manufactured by CFM International, a joint venture between American company GE Aerospace and France’s Safran Aircraft Engines.
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Why it took 15 years for China’s domestic aircraft C919 to start passenger flights
Why it took 15 years for China’s domestic aircraft C919 to start passenger flights
According to Liu Daxiang, deputy director of the Science and Technology Committee of the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (Avic), China lacks experience in research and development of civil aviation engines.
But after China decided to build the C919 in 2008, the Chinese government set up a company to develop parts and jet engines for a narrow-body airliner designed to compete with Boeing’s 737 and Airbus’ A320.
AECC was formally established in 2016 with stakeholders including Chinese defense contractor Avic and C919 manufacturer China Civil Aviation Corporation (Comac).
What are the main challenges of the CJ-1000?
Although China has made great strides in engine development in recent years, commercial jet engine design and production still lags behind the world’s leading manufacturers.
Avic’s Liu said that the ability to manufacture high-bypass turbofan engines is essential to China’s success in aerospace manufacturing.
However, Liu acknowledged that because of the slow start in research and development, China now needs to catch up with technology that has been around for decades.
“It’s like jumping from the first generation to the fifth generation.” [in one go]” Liu said in Shanghai in 2017.
Mechanical failure is one of the most common problems in Chinese-made jet engines, according to a 2022 study published by the Hunan Civil-Military Integrated Public Service Platform, an information provider under the Hunan Provincial Government’s Military-Civil Integration Development Commission. It’s called Tsuda.
Research shows that poor design, low levels of manufacturing, and lack of experience in testing and assembly are also common problems.
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Inside view of Chinese domestic commercial airliners ARJ21 and C919
Inside view of Chinese domestic commercial airliners ARJ21 and C919
A study by China Construction Bank last year also suggested that weaknesses in turbofan engine design could slow China’s progress in producing competitive products compared to Western countries.
“China’s aerospace engine industry, represented by AECC, basically has the development and production capacity for various aero engines, but there is still a certain disparity compared to China.” [those produced by] Western developed countries,” the state-owned bank said.
What is the outlook for engine development in China?
According to Chinese media reports, the AECC said the CJ-1000 engine is expected to be certified between 2022 and 2025.
However, over the past two years, the United States, which holds the lead in aviation technology, has tightened export controls on technologies that support the production of advanced semiconductors and gas turbine engines, citing the importance of these technologies to national security.
And these measures could limit Chinese companies’ access to the use of such technology.
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China condemns new US law aimed at promoting domestic semiconductor manufacturing
China condemns new US law aimed at promoting domestic semiconductor manufacturing
Many of AECC’s subsidiaries have been designated as military end users by the U.S. Bureau of Industry and Security, as the U.S. government grows increasingly wary of China’s aerospace manufacturing ambitions and pursuit of a civil-military fusion strategy.
U.S. technology exporters need a license to sell to companies classified as military end users.
In the long term, competition between China and the US in advanced technology is likely to play a key role in Beijing’s quest for aerospace independence.
The Wall Street Journal reported in 2020, citing unnamed sources, that former US President Donald Trump’s administration was considering blocking the sale of Leap Engine to Commack, and that C919 It is said to be a big risk for the
Commack is cautious about switching to domestic suppliers too early to avoid reputational damage
Additionally, the Berlin-based think tank Mercator Institute for China Research (Merix) says China is making its “strongest efforts to oust foreign companies, especially in engine development” to reduce the risk of foreign sanctions. I believe that.
Merricks said in October that the aviation supply chain relies on an international division of labor, making it a “big challenge for China to master not just the production process but all the technology and build economically efficient aircraft.” I argued that it would happen.
“These industry characteristics make Comac wary of moving to domestic suppliers too early to avoid reputational damage, as safety standards are much more stringent and the stakes are higher for the commercial aircraft industry. ”