Saturn AL-31

AL-31 / 41F
Saturn AL-31 FN turbofan engine
Type	Turbofan
National origin	USSR/Russia
Manufacturer	NPO Saturn, UMPO, NPC Saljut
Major applications	Sukhoi Su-27 Sukhoi Su-30 Sukhoi Su-35 Shenyang J-11 Chengdu J-10 Chengdu J-20

The Saturn AL-31 is a family of military turbofan engines, developed by the Lyulka, now NPO Saturn, in the Soviet Union/Russia, originally for the Sukhoi Su-27 air superiority fighter. It produces a thrust of 123 kN (27,600 lb) with afterburning in the AL-31F, 137 kN (30,800 lb) in the AL-31FM (AL-35F) and 145 kN (32,000 lb) in the AL-37FU variants. Currently it powers all Su-27 derivatives and the Chengdu J-10 multirole jet fighter which has been developed by China.

List of AL-31 family engines

Name	Description	Builder	Year	Thrust	Thrust vectoring	Aircraft	Status
AL-31F	The basic engine developed to power the Su-27 fighter	Salyut, UMPO	1981	123 kN (27,700 lbf)	No	Sukhoi Su-27, Shenyang J-11, Sukhoi Su-30MKK, Sukhoi Su-30 (Salyut)	In service/production
AL-31F3	Improved variant for the naval version Su-33	Saturn Lyul'ka		125.57 kN (28,200 lbf)	No	Sukhoi Su-33	In service/production
AL-31FP	Improved variant for the Indian Su-30MKI with thrust vectoring	Salyut, HAL	2000	123 kN (27,700 lbf)	Yes	Sukhoi Su-30 MKI, Sukhoi Su-30MKM	In service/production
AL-31FN	Improved variant for the Chengdu J-10	Salyut	2002	124.5 kN (28,000 lbf)	No	Chengdu J-10	In service/production
AL-31FN Series 3	Improved variant for the Chengdu J-10B	Salyut	2013	134.3 kN (30,200 lbf)	No	Chengdu J-10	In service/production
AL-31F M1	Improved version for the Russian Air Force	Salyut	2007	135 kN (30,300 lbf)	Yes	Sukhoi Su-27SM, Sukhoi Su-30, Sukhoi Su-34	In service/production
AL-31F M2	Improved version for the Su-34 and Chengdu J-20	Salyut	2012	145 kN (32,600 lbf)	Yes	Sukhoi Su-34, Chengdu J-20	In service/production
AL-37FU	Advanced derivative for the Su-37	UMPO		145 kN (32,600 lbf)	Yes	Sukhoi Su-37	Experimental derivative for the Su-37
AL-41F-1S (117S)	Advanced derivative for the Su-35	UMPO	2010	142 kN (31,900 lbf)	Yes	Sukhoi Su-35	In service/production
AL-41F1 (117)	Advanced derivative for the Sukhoi Su-57	UMPO	2010	147 kN (33,000 lbf)	Yes	Sukhoi Su-57 prototype/serial	In service/production
Izdeliye 30 (30)	New, advanced variant for the Sukhoi Su-57	NPO Saturn	2017	176.5 kN (39,700 lbf)	Yes	Sukhoi Su-57 serial	Development/early production

The AL-31FP and AL-37FU variants have thrust vectoring. The former is used in the Su-30MKI export version of the Su-30 for India & Sukhoi Su-30MKM for Malaysia . The AL-31FP can deflect its nozzle to a maximum of ±15° at a rate of 30°/sec. The vectoring nozzle is used primarily in the pitch plane. The AL-31FP is built in India by HAL at the Koraput facility under a deep technology transfer agreement.

It can tolerate severely distorted air flow from the intake. In the twin-engined Su-27, left and right engines are interchangeable. The Mean Time Between Overhaul (MTBO) for the AL-31F is 1000 hours with a full-life of 3000 hours. Some reports suggested that Russia was offering AL-31F to Iran to re-engine its F-14 Tomcat air fleet in the late 1990s.

Salyut supplies AL-31 variants to fighters operated by the People's Republic of China. The J-10 uses the AL-31FN while the J-20 uses the AL-31FM2 as an interim engine until the domestic WS-15 is ready.

According to Saturn's Victor Mihailovich Chepkin, chief designer of the 117 and 117S engines, the Chinese WS-10 was developed with the aid of the AL-31's maintenance technical documentation., this was recently confirmed by AVIC

117S

Intended to power the Su-35BM, the Izdeliye 117S (AL-41F1S) is an upgrade of the AL-31F that uses technology from the AL-41F. The engine produces 142 kN (32,000 lb) of thrust in afterburner and 86.3 kN (19,400 lb) dry. It features a fan 3% larger in diameter (932 millimetres (36.7 in) versus 905 millimetres (35.6 in)), advanced high- and low-pressure turbines, an all-new digital control system, and provisions for thrust-vectoring nozzles similar to the AL-31FP. This engine will have an assigned life of 4,000 hours and an MTBO of 1,000 hours. The first flight of this engine was completed in an Su-35BM on 20 February 2008. On 9 August 2010, Ufa-based company UMPO started supplying 117S engines (AL-41F1S) intended for Su-35S fighters.

117

Intended to power the fifth-generation Sukhoi Su-57 fighter. The Izdeliye 177 (AL-41F1) is a highly improved AL-31F derivative based on the 117S engine of the Su-35S fighter. Its development began in 2004 and the engine features an increased diameter fan, new high and low pressure turbines, and a digital control system (FADEC). According to Sukhoi director Mikhail Pogosyan, the 117 is a new fifth-generation engine built specifically for the Su-57. Though the specifics of the 117 engine remain classified, the engine's thrust was increased by 24.5 kN (5,500 lbs) over the AL-31 while the engine weight was reduced by 150 kg (330 lb). The new engine produces 147 kN (33,067 lbf) of thrust in afterburner and has a dry weight of 1,420 kg (3,130 lb) and thrust-to-weight ratio of 10.5:1. Like the AL-31F, the 117 has 4 low-pressure compressor (fan) and 9 high-pressure compressor stages. Mikhail Pogosyan further mentioned that the 117 engine meets the Russian Air Force requirements and will be installed in production Su-57 fighter which will be supplied to the Russian Air Force and prospective foreign clients.

The 117 is an interim engine meant for prototype and initial production batches of the Su-57. The definitive second stage for the aircraft is designated Izdeliye 30 and will eventually replace the 117 after 2020. The new engine has increased thrust and fuel efficiency as well as improved reliability and lower costs. Bench testing of the new engine will start in 2014 according to the general designer-director of the NPO Saturn Eugeny Marchuk. Serial production began in April 2019.

Specifications (AL-31F)

Data from

General characteristics

• Type: Two-shaft afterburning turbofan
• Length: 4,990 millimetres (196 in)
• Diameter:
  
  • 905 millimetres (35.6 in) inlet;
  • 1,280 millimetres (50 in) maximum external
• Dry weight: 1,570 kilograms (3,460 lb)

Components

• Compressor: 4 fan and 9 compressor stages
• Combustors: annular
• Turbine: 2 single-staged turbines

Performance

• Maximum thrust:
  
  • 74.5 kilonewtons (16,700 lb_f) dry thrust
  • 122.58 kilonewtons (27,560 lb_f) with afterburner
• Overall pressure ratio: 23
• Bypass ratio: 0.59:1
• Turbine inlet temperature: 1685 K (1,412 °C (2,574 °F))
• Specific fuel consumption:
  

Dry thrust: 24.6 g/(kN·s)
Full afterburner: 54.3 g/(kN·s)

• Thrust-to-weight ratio: 4.77:1 (dry), 7.87:1 (afterburning)

Specifications AL-41F-1S (117S)

Data from Rosobornexport

General characteristics

• Type: Two-shaft afterburning turbofan
• Length: 494.2 cm (194.6 in)
• Diameter: 93.2 cm (36.7 in) inlet
• Dry weight: 1,604 kg (3,536 lb)

Components

• Compressor: axial, 4 stage fan, 9 stage compressor
• Combustors: annular
• Turbine: 2 single stage turbines

Performance

• Maximum thrust:
  
  • 86.3 kN (19,400 lbf) dry
  • 142.2 kN (32,000 lbf) with afterburner
• Turbine inlet temperature: 1,471.8 °C (2,681.2 °F), 1,745 Kelvin
• Fuel consumption:
  
  • 6,813 kg / h
  • 24,969 kg / h with afterburner
• Specific fuel consumption:
  
  • 22.37 g / (kN·s) dry
  • 51.53 g / (kN·s) with afterburner
• Thrust-to-weight ratio: 5.49:1 (dry), 9.04:1 with afterburner

See also

Comparable engines

• General Electric F110
• Pratt & Whitney F100
• Klimov RD-33
• Shenyang WS-10
• Soloviev D-30

Related lists

• List of aircraft engines

References

Notes

External links

• Russian Military Analysis - AL-31 F aircraft turbofan engine
• AL-31F on LeteckeMotory.cz (cs,en)
• AL-41F1A (117S) on LeteckeMotory.cz (cs,en)