Engines

The Lyulka-Saturn Al-31 turbojet is the main Russian engine for modern fighter aircraft. Numerous modifications of the Al-31 have been produced, including the world's first supersonic jet engine with a thrust-vectoring nozzle. Various versions of this engine are used on Su-27, Su-27SK, Su-27UBK, Su-30MKK produced for China's PLAAF, Su-30MKI produced for the Indian Air Force and other fighter and fighter-bomber aircraft. The Al-31FN - a development of the Al-31F - was created in 1992-1994 and features increased thrust, fadec control with hydraulic fuel pressure-activated back-up and significantly improved fuel economy. The Al-31FN is used on Su-32 (Su-27IB), Su-27SM (Su-35) and Su-32FN permitting these aircraft to have a maximum range of well over 4,000 km on internal fuel. The initial delivery of Al-31FN engines to China took place in 2001-2002 and numbered some 54 non-thrust-vectoring engines. China's CEC is also believed to have successfully negotiated with Russia license production of Al-31 engines. Later models of the J-10 are likely to use the thrust-vectoring version of the Al-31FN.

The Al-31-series engines proved to be reliable, relatively simple to maintain and offering great performance. Design work on the Al-31 begun in 1963 and the first prototype of the engine was tested in 1974. In 1986 a P-42 (modified Su-27 prototype) powered by two Al-31F engines set 32 time-to-height records. Recent computer simulations conducted by the US Air Force and Boeing showed that an Al-31FP-equipped Su-30MK outperformed the F-15C in a diverse range of engagements. A basic comparison of the Al-31FN (developed in 1992-1994) and the F100-PW-232 (the ultimate version of the Pratt & Whitney F100 developed in 1999-2001 and designed to be retrofitted to the F-15 and F-16 fighter aircraft) reveals that the Russian engine provides near-identical performance while being more than 300 kg lighter (not to mention substantially less expensive). The next generation of Russian turbofan engines - the Al-41 - offers a dramatic increase in power and reliability. The Al-41 is currently being tested on Su-47, MiG MFI and Su-32FN. The Al-41F is planned as the future engine for the LFI project.

Source: Venik's Aviation (www.aeronautics.ru)