Israel's "Fercon" airborne early warning and command system is slightly different from the E-3 "Watchtower" and E-2 "Hawkeye" series airborne early warning aircraft that we are familiar with; it is not so much that "Ferkang" is an airborne early warning aircraft as it is a set of airborne early warning systems, which can be installed on different aircraft -- of course, the "Ferkang" airborne early warning system also has certain requirements for the load capacity and flight performance of the carrier aircraft.

However, Israel was able to develop the "Filcon" air early warning and command system, but it did not have a mandatory requirement of which aircraft to use as the carrier aircraft, and this is also due to Israel's unique national conditions: Israel itself cannot produce large air platforms.

Boeing 707, Boeing 767, Il-76 and even C-130 "Air Hercules" turboprop aircraft can become the carrier aircraft equipped with the "Ferkang" system, and in the later stage, the "Ferkang" system can even be mounted on the Gulfstream G500, an aircraft with a maximum take-off weight of just over 40 tons.

For Huaxia during this period, it is no more entangled and obsessed with the Il-76 transport aircraft, because in terms of carrier aircraft, we actually have another choice: the Tu-204 of the COMAC Group.

Wang Dazhi, who represents COMAC Group, and Wang Xiaodong, who represents Xifei Group, came to Beijing this time, but they were actually waiting for a decision in a conference room.

What Wang Xiaodong and Wang Dazhi didn't know was that at this moment, the conference room that decided the future of Tu-204 was smoky and lively, as if there was a fight......

"I think the Il-76 is more suitable!"

A slightly chubby middle-aged man with obviously thinning hair sitting on the left side patted the table and said loudly: "Let's not talk about how big the Il-76's cabin is, let's just say that with a load of 40 tons, our Il-76MD has a maximum range of more than 4,000 kilometers!

This guy obviously supports the Il-76 and believes that our AWACS aircraft must choose the Il-76 as the carrier aircraft.

"Why can't the Tu-204 be compared?" The "Tu-204 faction" on the other side also showed no weakness, and as soon as this old man's voice fell, he immediately said: "Is the Il-76MD with a maximum load of 48 tons, but how much does the entire 'Fercon' system weigh?"

The Tu-204 also has a maximum load of 28 tons after removing the seats and interior wall decoration, which is enough to accommodate the entire 'Ferkang' early warning and command system, and under this load, the Tu-204 still has a maximum range of more than 4,500 kilometers, which is not far from the Il-76.

On top of that, the Tu-204 has a larger cabin space than the Il-76!

The Tu-204 can provide a fuselage length of more than 35 meters in the case of a cabin width and height that is basically comparable to that of the Il-76, and the cargo compartment length of the Il-76 is only a little more?

Only 24.5 meters!

The larger cabin space of the Tu-204 means that we can arrange various equipment more calmly, and at the same time can reserve enough rest space for the crew, not to mention that the Tu-204 also has a ground floor cargo compartment, if the ground floor cargo compartment is converted into a fuel tank or equipment cabin, the upper cabin can free up a lot of space, so that the crew has a more comfortable working and resting environment, this point, can the Il-76 be compared?

"Uh......"

The "76 Party" was speechless.

There is no way, the data listed by the "204 Party" is really crushing the Il-76, and there is really no way to do it.

Seeing the arrogance of the "76 Party" winning over it, the "204 Party" became more and more arrogant, slapping the table and shouting: "The most important thing is that our country has only a dozen Il-76s in total? What will be the attitude of the Air Force when four planes are withdrawn at once? What impact will it have on the combat effectiveness of the army?"

As for the Tu-204 aircraft, COMAC can produce it itself, and since we can produce it ourselves, why should we affect the combat effectiveness of the army? Have you asked the comrades of the Air Force?

"Who said that the use of the Il-76 as a carrier aircraft will definitely affect the combat effectiveness of the army?" The "76 Party" was also very unconvinced; of course, no one could afford to bear the responsibility for affecting the combat effectiveness of the Air Force, and the "76 Party" immediately found a new reason: "We can purchase the Il-76 ...... from outside."

It's a pity that the words of the "76 Party" were interrupted by the "204 Party" before they finished speaking......

"Outsourcing?

But do you know that it costs money to buy? It costs foreign exchange? Since we can produce the Tu-204 ourselves, why do we have to spend precious foreign exchange to purchase the IL-76?

Well, even if we don't talk about the need to spend precious foreign exchange, who dares to guarantee that Lao Maozi's side will be able to deliver smoothly according to the contract? If Lao Maozi's side goes wrong during delivery, resulting in 'Ferkang' not being able to serve on time, whose responsibility is this?"

Really!

This possibility exists, even the "76 Party" can't deny it, after all, Maozi's family is now in a mess, speaking of which, except for the first batch of Su-27 fighters, Lao Maozi did not have a single punctual delivery, there is always some inexplicable reason to delay you for a while, even if it is a ready-made second-hand aircraft, this, do you dare to believe it?

And just like the "204 Party" said, once something goes wrong on Lao Maozi's side, resulting in the failure of the Il-76 to be delivered on time, affecting the "Ferkang" system and not being able to form combat effectiveness on time, whose responsibility is this?

Lao Maozi's delivery is only a month or two months late, but if the delivery is a year and a half late, who will bear this responsibility? !

But the problem is that it is not for nothing that there are so many people who support the Il-76 when the Tu-204 has so many supporters......

"The Il-76 cannot be delivered to the danger, but can COMAC necessarily insure the Tu-204? COMAC has only produced two Tu-204s so far, and is now in the process of obtaining airworthiness certification.

Yes, the Tu-204 is our own production, whether it is after-sales maintenance or other aspects do not need to be restricted by others, this is true, but a plane that has not completed the airworthiness certification and does not know whether there is a dark disease, you dare to use it as a carrier aircraft of the country's heavy weapon?!"

This reason of the "76 Party" is very powerful, and it is perfectly fine to use the words "important weapon of the country" to describe the "Filcon" early warning aircraft that we are ready to buy.

And this worry of the "76 Party" is also a real problem: if the Tu-204 is a mature and reliable aircraft like the Boeing 707, of course there is nothing to say, but Lao Maozi has not yet completed the finalization, and so is our side, and COMAC is conducting airworthiness certification for the Tu-204 they produce.