PING-PA PROPULSION SYSTEM RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT CENTER(Sanitized)

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: NGA Records (Formerly NIMA)
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP78T04563A001100210011-8
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 11
• Document Creation Date: December 28, 2016
• Document Release Date: January 14, 2004
• Sequence Number: 11
• Publication Date: September 1, 1971
• Content Type: REPORT

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BASIC IMAGERY
INTERPRETATION
REPORT
NATIONAL PHOTOGRAPHIC
INTERPRETATION CENTER
PING-PA PROPULSION SYSTEM
RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT CENTER
STRATEGIC WEAPONS INDUSTRIAL FACILITIES
CHINA
SEPTEMBER 1971
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RCA-09/0011/72
COPY NO
14 PAGES
GROUP 1 EXCLUDED FROM
AUTOMATIC DOWNGRADING
AND DECLASSIFICATION
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Ping-pa Propulsion System Research and Development Center
UTM COORDINATES
NA
GEOGRAPHIC COORDINATES
26-22-35N 106-15-15E
SAC. US Air Target Chart, Series 200, Sheet 0496-15, scale 1:200,000
ABSTRACT
HA-ERH-FIN
0 1
1. The Ping-pa Propulsion System Research and Development (R & D) Center was
probably designed for the development and testing of new and improved aircraft propulsion
systems. The center appears to be in the final stage of construction. When completed, it
should contain the most modern and complete grouping of aircraft propulsion test facilities
in China. Only sea level static test cells have been identified so far; however, there is ample
space to add other facilities such as altitude simulation test facilities.
2. This report includes a location map, photographs, line drawings, references, and
tables of mensural and chronological data.
INTRODUCTION
3. The Ping-pa Propulsion System R & D Center is located 3 nautical miles (nm)
south of the walled town of Ping-pa in Kweichow Province (Figure 1). It is approximately 28
nm west-southwest of Kuei-yang and approximately 19 nm east-northeast of An-shun. The
center is well dispersed in several small valleys.
4. Applied research and improvements and modifications to existing aircraft
propulsion systems will probably be the main function of the center.
PING-PAS
PROPULSION
SYSTEM RESEARCH Road
AND DEVELOPMENT Railroad
CENTER
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NAUTICAL MILES
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5. The Ping-Pa Propulsion System R & D Center is probably associated with the five
known aircraft engine production plants in China: Hsi-an Aircraft Engine Plant 430 (BE
Cheng-tu Aircraft Engine Plant 420
Ha-erh-pin Aircraft
Engine Plant 120 Shen-yang Aircraft Engine Plant 4101 1
and Chu-chou Aircraft Engine Plant 331 Engines produced at these
plants will probably be thoroughly tested at the center. Test results and recommendations
for engine improvements would probably then be forwarded to these engine plants. These
five engine plants are shown on Figure 1.
6. An industrial area containing 48 buildings and structures is under construction 0.5
nm southeast of the engine test area. It may be related to the center, but because there are
no physical connections such as roads or rails it is not included in this report. Major
buildings in the area include an assembly/shop building, six engineering/shop buildings,
and two administration/engineering buildings. Construction of this area was started in
considerable progress had been made.
BASIC DESCRIPTION
7. The center is comprised of three main areas--an aircraft engine test area, a probable
aircraft engine test area, and an assembly/shop area (Figure 2). these three
areas contained a total of 325 buildings and structures. Major buildings included
administration/engineering, engineering/shop, engineering/laboratory, aircraft engine test,
and assembly/shop buildings. Other buildings were shops, warehouses, engineering/test
buildings, and two heating plants. An engine test building, an engineering/test building, a
probable engineering/laboratory, and an engineering/shop building were observed under
construction on photography
Chronology
February 1966 - March 1969
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9. Construction of the center was started between I Six 25X1
small-scale photographic coverages of varying interpretability were obtained between
The first large-scale coverage of the center was obtained in
The three main areas and the two support areas were identifiable at that time.
the center consisted of 213 buildings; 198 were complete and 15 were under
construction.
April 1969 -June 1971
10. Three photographic coverages of the center were obtained between
the center was in the late stage of construction and contained 325
buildings and 11 fuel storage tanks. Of the 325 buildings, 320 were complete and five were
under construction.
11. The total floorspace of the center was
at least)
Those buildings under construction at that time will, when completed, add
of additional floorspace.
12. A detailed construction chronology of major buildings is given in Tables 1, 2, and 3
and Figures 3, 8, and 9.
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Aircraft Engine Test Area
13. Key facilities in the engine test area include four engine test buildings. One of the
engine test buildings (item 4, Figure 3 and Table 1) contains two single, through-type
engine test cells. Each of the other three engine test buildings (items, 1, 2, and 5) contains a
single, through-type engine test cell.
14. The two-cell engine test building (Figure 4) was in the midstages of construction
when first seen in When last seen in this building was in the late 25X1
stages of construction.
15. The engine test cells measure approximately)
These cells are separated by a central control room and a rob able shop area. The central
control room is approximately The probable shop area is
approximately F__ 1
16. Each test cell has an exhaust/silencer system. The test cells will exhaust through a
short, horizontal augmenter tube into a boxlike exhaust sound treatment chamber. The
irregular design of these chambers on this particular test building may be related to soil
conditions in the area.
17. Each of the other three engine test buildings (items 1, 2, and 5, Figure 3) contains
a single, through-type engine test cell. These three buildings are different in configuration
and size, but they all have the same basic components (Figures 5, 6, and 7). Each building
is comprised of an air intake section, an engine test cell, a control room, an augmenter tube,
and an exhaust sound treatment chamber. An engine test building at Hsi-an Airframe
Plant Yen-liang 172 contains a test section similar to the single cell
through-type buildings at the center. However, at Plant 172 the test section has been built
below grade and has been partially earth mounded.
18. Four fuel storage tanks (Figure 3) are located adjacent to the test area. Each tank
is Total volume of the tanks
is approximately , and the total storage capacity is
Each tank has an attached pumping/metering station. The tanks are
connected to the engine test buildings by underground pipelines.
Probable Aircraft Engine Test Area
19. The probable aircraft engine test area (Figures 2 and 8, Table 2) has four probable
aircraft engine test buildings (items 3-6, Figure 8) containing through-type engine test
cells. The exact number of test cells cannot be accurately determined from present
photography.
20. Each building contains several probable test cells, control rooms, and some shop
space. Based on their size, these four probable engine test buildings could contain at least
20, and as many as 25, through-type engine test cells.
21. The large number of engine test cells (five confirmed and 20-25 probable) at the
center would be necessary to prevent testing delays due to down-time, accident, and/or cell
occupancy.
Assembly/Shop Area
22. Major facilities in the assembly/shop area (Figures 2 and 9, Table 3) are two large
assembly/shop buildings (items 17 and 22, Figure 9), two engineering/laboratory buildings
(items 18 and 20), and two engineering/shop buildings (items 21 and 26). One of the
engineering/shop buildings (item 26) is connected to the adjacent assembly/shop building
(item 22) by an enclosed passageway.
23. The limited amount of assembly/shop floorspace at the center precludes mass
production of aircraft propulsion systems. The assembly/shop area will probably be used
primarily for assembly and/or checkout of aircraft engines prior to testing.
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1 - Air intake area
2 - Central control room
3 - Central shop area
4 - Single engine test cell (2)
5 - Exhaust duct - will probably
house an augmenter tube
6 - Exhaust sound treatment chambers (2)
Dimensions given in meters
To convert to feet.
Multiply meters by 3.28084
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SIDE VIEW
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1 - Air intake chamber
2 - Engine test cell
3 - Exhaust duct-contains 4.0 m diam
augmenter tube
4 - Exhaust sound treatment chamber
5 - Exhaust stack
6-8 - Control room
Dimensions given in meters
To convert to Feet:
Multiply meters by 3.28084
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24. Electrical powerlines have been identified throughout the center, but no electrical
power source has yet been identified.
25. Rivers in the immediate area of the center would afford an adequate water supply.
However, to date no water storage facilities or cooling facilities have been identified at the
center.
26. The center is primarily a road-served installation. Roads throughout the center
and the immediate area are serviceable, improved dirt roads. These roads connect the
center with hard-surfaced, all-weather roads leading to An-shun, Kuei-yang, and Ping-pa.
27. The center is situated approximately 0.8 nm south of the Kuei-yang to An-shun
rail line. A short spur from this rail line serves a transshipment area (Figure 2) which is
probably associated with the center. The rail spur terminates at the transshipment area
and does not enter either of the three main areas of the center.
28. There is no airfield or landing strip at the center. Kuei-yang/Lei-chuang Airfield
25X1 I uis located approximately 14.9 nm east-northeast of the center. This
airfield is connected to the center by road and could provide necessary air services.
29. There are two main housing areas located west of the assembl /sho area (Figure
2). These two areas contained 70 multistory apartment buildings inlI and at least
six additional apartment buildings were under construction. These housing areas were first
25X1 seen under construction i As the center increased in size, the number of
apartment buildings increased. s the two housing areas contained
25X1 approximately I of floorspace. The villages near
the center were also increased in size from
Security
30. No overall security measures have been identified at the center. However, fencing,
gates, and walls have been observed in some areas. The terrain and the remote location of
the area provide some natural security barriers.
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PLAN VIEW
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SIDE VIEW
1 - Air intake chamber
2 - Engine test cell
3 - Exhaust duct-contains 4.0m diam
augmenter tube
4 - Exhaust sound treatment chamber
5 - Exhaust stack
6 - Control room
Dimensions given in meters
To convert to Feet:
Multiply meters by 3.28084
PLAN VIEW
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SIDE VIEW
7.0 0
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1 - Engine test cell with air intake chamber
2 - Exhaust duct - contains 4.0 diam
augmenter tube
3 Exhaust sound treatment chamber
4 - Exhaust stack
5-8 - Control room
0
Dimensions given in meters
To convert to Feet:
Multiply meters by 3.28084
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MAPS OR CHARTS
SAC. US Air Target Chart, Series 200, Sheet 0496-15, scale 1:200,000
DOCUMENTS
1. FTD. HT-23-576-68, Industrial Safety at Jet-Engine Testing Stations and Laboratories, by L. I. Varlamov,
translated edition, 19 Mar 69 (UNCLASSIFIED)
2. US Forces. Photo Industrial Study No. 5 the Aircraft Industry, Feb 45, p. 17 (UNCLASSIFIED)
REQUIREMENT
COMIREX J02
NPIC/IEG/SD/SIB Project 222311
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