Just to add some ideas made by “crobato” and “GoldenDragon” for further discussion:
โข I didn’t think China had the material science and the metallurgy to make the engine happen even though the engineers have a full grasp of the core engine theory. Without the engine happening soon the project is as good as dead. China’s material science was good enough only to match for the metallurgy required for the MiG-21 R-11 engines, but not for the demands of the MiG-23’s R-27 engines.
โข They could have used the Speys, but it is very likely that the J-13 was designed for the much more narrower turbojet that more similar to the MiG-23 in dimensions. To use the Spey would have required totally redesigning the fuselage, and thus the whole plane. (crobato)
โข The metallurgy problem is there because the R-27 engine is a lot more powerful than the R-11 for a given size. The material science isn’t up to there to handle all the heat and stress. It does not matter if it is a turbofan or a turbojet.
โข As far as I know, China only began their contacts with Sukhoi around 1990 long after the J-13 project is dead. China was actually and originally more interested with Mikoyan, either the MiG-29 or MiG-31 or both (these are what the PLAAF originally wanted), then appeared to shift to Sukhoi at the last moment due to Li Peng.
Any comments, Deino
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