1. "I have heard of a WS-12 somewhere ... I don't remember anything about a catapult engine but I'm sure the WS-12 is an actual engine."
In this picture, it clearly stated "
XS-10 弹用发动机", and "
XS-12 弹用发动" . "
弹用" means Catapult.
It also mentioned a "
XS-13E 发动机", but no mention of Catapult. I don't know what is that.
Prior to this leak, I don't even know there is are WS-12/13 engines. I just saw the pictures of J-20 equipped with two different WS-10 like engines.
Neither do I realize J-20 was testing two engines designed to be catapult off an Aircraft Carrier.
Why PLAAF needs two engines for the PLAAN's J-20, I have no idea. And I have no idea, why China won't stick with WS-15 and just navalized it.
I suspect the pictures of the J-20 with WS-10/12 engines are actually quite old, at least, several years old, but they have just leaked them in 2018. And the two WS-10/12 engines are improvements.
2. Are you for real? And I thought you finally came to the realization that the J-20 was not initially tested with the 240kN+ WS-15 after all these years.
I did not contradicted myself.
I have said J-20 was flying with an early version of WS-15 from day one, and this engine, with AL-31 like nozzle petals, has 3D TVC and at least
210kn of thrust.
Now, from this Leak, we know China is also developing a newer WS-15 engine, with 12 nozzle petals. It is probably the mass production version.
This Engine has the status of "
少量批试制", "
low number testing production".
As for Maximum Thrust, I won't be surprised that it has
240KN. There is something amazing about this newer WS-15 engine, that PLAAF is willing to wait for it, before commencing mass production of J-20.
Could it be the engine with the code name "
珠峰" or
Mt. Everest, that we talked about 2 years ago?