Airshow China 2022: China displays thrust vectoring engines

The Aero Engine Corporation of China displayed an engine with a 2D thrust vectoring nozzle during Airshow China 2022. The nozzle design appears intended to sustain manoeuvres at low speeds and at very high altitudes. (CFOTO/Future Publishing via Getty Images)

China has displayed two turbofan engines with thrust vectoring control (TVC) nozzles during the Airshow China 2022 exhibition being held in Zhuhai from 8 to 13 November.

Imagery of the state-owned Aero Engine Corporation of China (AECC) pavilion from 9 November showed that six engines were on display. The state-owned newspaper, Global Times , reported on 10 November that five of the engines are part of the ‘Taihang‘ family.

This is the first public showing in China of engines with TVC nozzle systems. These engines were previously reported as being in development.

According to Janes data, the ‘Taihang‘, which is named after a mountain in China, is associated with the Liming Engine Manufacturing Corporation's WS10 two-shaft augmented turbofan engine.

Among the engines displayed was a 1:2 scale model of an engine with a two-dimensional (2D) TVC nozzle fitted to its aft section.

The thrust vectoring system on this engine consists of four wedge-shaped structures attached to what appears to be a rectangular section at the aft of the engine. The top and bottom horizontal wedge flaps were shown to move along the pitch axis with the help of actuators. This will result in a bi-directional flow of the exhaust jet gasses.

The left and right vertical wedge structures are shown to be fixed. Janes assesses that the vectored thrust would then help control the attitude of the aircraft, in this case, the pitch.