The strategic military transport aircraft was put on the international market in November, when the Y-20BE model was shown to visiting Nigerian Defence Minister Mohammed Badaru Abubakar in Beijing, military magazine Ordnance Industry Science Technology reported last week.
The heavy-lift transport plane – nicknamed “chubby girl” for its large fuselage – is comparable to the Soviet Ilyushin Il-76 and America’s Boeing C-17.
According to the report, it will be an opportunity for China “to establish deeper strategic relationships and cooperation with countries once they have the Y-20”.
Its manufacturer, state-owned Xian Aircraft Industrial Corporation (XAIC), has been operating assembly lines for mass production to increase efficiency and enlarge capacity, state broadcaster CCTV reported in November.
Instead of assembling the aircraft at a fixed workstation, its parts are moved along a “pulse line” as work stages are completed – similar to the way cars are produced. These assembly lines are used to build some of the world’s most advanced aircraft, including the Lockheed Martin F-35 and Boeing 787.
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More than 90 per cent of the Y-20’s parts are made by a digitalised system, according to the CCTV report, which showed footage from the XAIC plant of robotic arms, remote-controlled manoeuvres, and laser-assisted high-precision assembly work.
The magazine report said the plant’s production capacity could meet demand from both the Chinese air force and international clients.
“The Y-20 production speed is the fastest in the world for its kind,” it said.
02:17
China airs footage of Fujian aircraft carrier featuring advanced catapult launch system
China airs footage of Fujian aircraft carrier featuring advanced catapult launch system
The plane – which is 47 metres long and 50 metres wide (154ft long and 164ft wide) – has become the workhorse heavy lifter for the People’s Liberation Army since it entered service in 2016. It can carry up to 66 tonnes.XAIC has delivered nearly 100 planes to the PLA Air Force so far – about half of them in the past two years. It also made the switch from Russian-made Soloviev D-30KP-2 engines to the more powerful Chinese-made Shenyang WS-20 turbofan engines.
Variants have also been developed – the Y-20U aerial tanker, and the Y-20AEW airborne early warning and control aircraft.
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