You can't just downgrade an engine like that to fit a smaller aircraft. With the technical knowledge and expertise we gained, we have to design one for the smaller application. Doable? Of course yes. But it requires cash and New Delhi needs to give approval for the new engine project.
this website, it's in Czech but google translate works
quoting the translated parts
New Russian engine for light and training aircraft of the early 21st century
AL-55
Saturn - Ljulka, Russia ( project )
Saljut, Russia ( production )
UMPO, Russia ( production )
AL-55, universal dual carriage motor, was developed on the own initiative of the NPO Saturn (chief designer Mikhail Gojchenberg) s maximum use of design knowledge from the successful AL-31F engine. Compared to the AL-31F, the engine is 4 times weaker and lighter, but in comparison with the equally heavy French Larzac from Alpha Jetu develops AL-55 40% more thrust. Sample AL-55, made by Saljut, was first demonstrated at the China-98 airshow. The engine was created for the propulsion of training and light aircraft - eg.
Jak-130 or
MiG-AT. AL-55 is fully interchangeable with Larzac 04R20, but is significantly more modern and has a wider envelope of conditions under which it can work effectively. The engine life was set at 2000 hours of operation.
The design of the AL-55 engine allows you to create a number of different designs with a thrust from 1760 to 5000 kp for light training, light combat, light supersonic fighter aircraft as well as unmanned combat and reconnaissance means. The basis of all derived engines is a gas generator (core) with 5-speed. compressor and 1-stage. turbine, with a degree of compression of 7.5 and a flow rate of air of 9 kg / s. The following versions and derivatives are taken into account.
- AL-55I- the first version, which will be practically deployed. It should be practically identical to the basic version of the AL-55. In 2004, these engines won a tender to power HJT-36's new Indian training aircraft from HAL. The defeated competitor was the French Snecma with Larzac engines. The engine has a three-stage blower, a five-stage compressor and a low-pressure and high-pressure turbine in one stage. The engine thrust is 1760 kp. Ground engine tests began in May 2006, when four engines were available. The tests were accompanied by problems, and during the stand tests of the engine installed in the MiG-AT, it even started to burn. The contract with India included the delivery of 18 pre-series AL-55I units by the end of 2007, but according to information from December 2007, the customer did not receive any of them and is in danger, that HAL will eventually opt for the French Larzac engines. If AL-55I did succeed,it would be licensed in HAL in the number of approximately 1000 units, if the contract were carried out according to plan, production would start at the turn of 2007 and 2008.
- AL-55I-UVT - equipped with a nozzle with a changeable thrust vector. The design of the nozzle enables the installation of the engine even on very light single-engine aircraft. The move remains 1760 kp.
- AL-55M - probably further improved AL-55I.
- AL-55F - engine with additional combustion chamber, thrust 2200/3500 kp, consumption in forging mode 1.65 kg.kp-1.h-1. The estimated engine weight is 425 kg.
- AL-57 - engine with higher bypass ratio, thrust 2600 kp.
- AL-155 - engine with additional combustion chamber, thrust 3200/5000 kp.
- AL-61 - no-make (?) variant with a pull of 4600 kp.
Older sources state that civilian variants with the designation have been prepared
AL-55T and
AL-55TD, intended for regional airplanes with a take - off mass of 9 to 12 tonnes. Maybe it's type AL-57. One of the more powerful variants is also considered for the possible modernization of Su-25 aircraft. The aircraft's current, technologically 40-year-old engines have a thrust of 4100 kp (4500 kp at Su-25T / TM). With new engines with 40% lower consumption, the range of the aircraft would be 50% extended. Planned modifications of the AL-55 are to be used on persective Indian aircraft HJT-39, Chinese L-15 and K-8 and Italian M-346.
After comparison with the competing RD-1700, which is calculated for serial
MiGů-AT, the AL-55 engine has smaller dimensions, higher thrust and lower fuel consumption. The price of both engines should be between 500 and $ 700,000 (approximately 20 miles. CZK). The operation of AL-55 engines is expected until 2035.
CHARACTERISTICS OF THE AL-55I ENGINE
| Engine thrust on maximum mode | 1760 kp |
| Specific consumption in maximum mode | 0.71 kg.kp-1.h-1 |
| Maximum air flow rate | 28.8 kg.s-1 |
| Engine bypass ratio | 0.515 |
| Maximum degree of compression on a low pressure compressor | 2.3 |
| Maximum degree of compression on a high pressure compressor | 7.5 |
| Total degree of compression behind the compressor | 17.5 |
| Total engine length | 1950 mm |
| Maximum engine diameter | 462 mm |
| Engine weight | 355 kg |
AL-55I-UVT, omnidirectionally deflectable outlet nozzle
AL-55
AL-55I
> mentions of forking Al-55 from Al-31F, even a thrust-vectoring variant existed
> engine scalability mentioned across different variants from 17 kN to (probably larger one) 32 kN on normal, and with afterburner it could reach upto 50 kN on that 32 kN variant and so
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