{"id":940,"date":"2023-04-01T21:53:01","date_gmt":"2023-04-01T21:53:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gunowner-news.com\/?p=940"},"modified":"2023-04-01T21:53:01","modified_gmt":"2023-04-01T21:53:01","slug":"the-chengdu-j-20-mighty-dragon-chinas-top-stealth-fighter","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gunowner-news.com\/?p=940","title":{"rendered":"The Chengdu J-20 \u201cMighty Dragon\u201d \u2014 China\u2019s Top Stealth Fighter?"},"content":{"rendered":"


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By Peter Suciu<\/a><\/p>\n

I<\/span>n 1961, the Soviet Union and the People\u2019s Republic of China signed a technology transference arrangement for the MiG-21, which was produced as the Chengdu J-7. Throughout the Cold War, in fact, China relied on a number of Soviet designs \u2014 even following the Sino-Soviet split that saw the breaking of political relations between the two communist nations over different interpretations and practical applications of Marxism-Leninism.<\/p>\n

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A Chengdu J-20 Mighty Dragon at the August 2022 Changchun Air Show. Image: N509FZ\/CC BY-SA 4.0<\/a><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The J-7 was produced under license, and later became one of the first Chinese-made aircraft to be widely exported. Between 1965 and 2013, some 2,400 were manufactured, and despite its age, the J-7 remains in service around the world.<\/p>\n

More Advanced PLAAF Fighters<\/h2>\n

In the latter stages of the Cold War, the People\u2019s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) adopted more advanced aircraft including the Sukhoi Su-27, while it later developed domestic versions that were meant to improve upon the design. That included the Shenyang J-22, a twin-engine jet fighter that has been in active service since 1998.<\/p>\n

\"china\n<\/picture>
J-20 fighter jets attached to an aviation brigade under the PLA Air Force taxi in close formation during a flight training exercise on January 7, 2022. Image: Yang Pan\/PLA<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Fast forward and China and Russia are moving closer together again, but there has been a shift in their relationship \u2014 with the view that Beijing not Moscow is now the dominant partner. Moreover, China isn\u2019t relying on Soviet\/Russian designs and instead has forged ahead with its own indigenously designed and developed military aircraft \u2014 while acquiring insight from foreign aircraft.<\/p>\n

That is certainly the case with the Chengdu J-20 \u201cMighty Dragon,\u201d which descended from Beijing\u2019s J-XX program of the 1990s. Originally designed as an air superiority fighter with precision strike capability by Chengdu Aerospace Corporation (CAC) \u2014 China\u2019s second-largest fighter production base \u2014 the Mighty Dragon is actually the world\u2019s third operation \u201cfifth-generation\u201d fighter aircraft after the United States F-22 Raptor and F-35 Lightning II \u2014 both of which were produced by aerospace giant Lockheed Martin.<\/p>\n

\"chinese\n<\/picture>
A J-20 fighter jet soars in the air on the opening day of the 14th Airshow China in Zhuhai, Guangdong Province, on November 8, 2022. Image: Deng Hua\/PLA<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cThe Chinese defense industry has developed at pace in recent years, and has addressed historical problem areas such as aircraft engines,\u201d said Harry Boneham, aerospace analyst at international analytics firm GlobalData.<\/p>\n

The J-20, which has been officially adopted by the PLAAF, is noted for its canard-delta configuration, blended fuselage with low radar cross-section, and large canted twin tails. It is equipped with two large internal weapon bays for long-range and air-to-air missiles. The J-20 also has two small sidebays that can hold short-range air-to-air missiles. It can reportedly carry more fuel and weapons than the F-22 Raptor.<\/p>\n

A Great Leap Forward<\/h2>\n

The aircraft heralds the \u201cgreat leap forward\u201d that the PLAAF has been able to make in recent years, even if Chinese industry has continued to struggle to develop an adequate engine for the J-20. As has been widely reported, early Mighty Dragon prototypes and even low-rate initial production models were equipped with the Russian AL-31 engines \u2014 highlighting that Beijing hasn\u2019t fully broken away from Moscow yet.<\/p>\n

\"weapons\n<\/picture>
The fifth-generation Chengdu J-20 displayed its weapon bays and missiles during Airshow China 2018. Image: emperornie\/CC BY-SA 2.0<\/a><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

China actually struggled for years to perfect quality, domestically-produced jet engines for its fighters.<\/p>\n

It has sought to address the issue with the WS-10 engine, the powerplant employed on the series-production J-20A variant that entered service in September 2017. Efforts have continued to perfect the WS-15, which could provide the J-20 the ability to sustain supersonic speed without an afterburner \u2014 or supercruise.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn the past, China had depended upon imports from abroad, most commonly Russia, to supply engines even for its domestically produced platforms,\u201d added Boneham. \u201cHowever, in 2022 the WS-15 engine developed for the J-20 reportedly made its maiden flight.\u201d<\/p>\n

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With its current powerplant, the J-20 is believed to have a top speed of Mach 2.0 \u2014 twice the speed of sound. A question still remains, however, whether the Mighty Dragon could take on a Raptor as the dominant air superiority fighter.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Chinese defense industry has made progress in the field of engine development, and the WS-15, an indigenously developed engine intended for use on the J-20 is reportedly nearing the end of development,\u201d said Boneham. \u201cIn terms of capability, it is thought the F-22 and J-20 are comparable, but limited scope on the capabilities of both the F-22 and J-20, due to their secretive nature means a comparison can\u2019t be truly applied.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"chinese\n<\/picture>
Senior Colonel Li Ling (left) talks with another pilot after completing a flight training exercise on January 8, 2022. Image: Yang Pan\/PLA<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Aviation buffs also like to compare China\u2019s fifth-generation fighter to the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II, and countless articles have speculated which would dominate the skies in a dogfight. Yet, it needs to be stressed that while both are highly capable, there is no clear-cut answer \u2014 and we should hope not to find out in the fight over Taiwan.<\/p>\n

\u201cWith regards to the comparison of the F-35, the F-35 and J-20 have different roles, the former is a strike aircraft whereas the latter is an air superiority aircraft,\u201d Boneham noted.<\/p>\n

Exporting the Mighty Dragon<\/h2>\n

As Moscow faces international sanctions that impact its ability to meet the demand for its military hardware, there could be interest from nations in Asia and Africa. Yet, Boneham said China is unlikely to sell the J-20, at least in the near future.<\/p>\n

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A pair of Chengdu J-20s in the aircraft\u2019s first public appearance at Airshow China 2016. Image: Alert5\/CC BY-SA 4.0<\/a><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cThis is due to a fear that such exports would allow adversaries, primarily the U.S., to access the J-20s fifth-generation technology,\u201d he explained. \u201cA similar rationale had been adopted by the U.S. in opting to not export the F-22.\u201d<\/p>\n

China has actually been quite coy about sharing any significant details about the J-20 \u2014 while at the same time its state media has routinely hyped the capabilities of the Mighty Dragon. It has routinely been presented at air shows, yet still kept away from onlookers on the ground.<\/p>\n

F-22\/F-35 DNA?<\/h2>\n

Last summer, the United States Department of Defense (DoD) halted acceptance of new F-35s after it was discovered that a magnet used in the aircraft\u2019s engine was made with \u201cunauthorized material\u201d from China. The issue was eventually resolved, but it served as a reminder that while the F-35 may have had materials from China, the J-20 is believed to have some \u201cDNA\u201d from the F-22 and F-35.<\/p>\n

\"f-22\n<\/picture>
An F-22 Raptor assigned to the 477th Fighter Group at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson prepares for takeoff on Jan. 7, 2023. Image: Erica Webster\/U.S.A.F.<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Though the F-20 was the world\u2019s first non-American stealth fighter, there were those in the U.S. and even Russia that accused Beijing of stealing design elements. It is easy to see elements of the F-22 in the J-20\u2019s design, while it also evolved from a strike aircraft to an air superiority fighter. Beijing may have also been provided some design assistance from Russia, but perhaps not without direct input from Moscow \u2014 meaning that someone within Russia\u2019s aviation sector may have passed along details.<\/p>\n

Beijing was even more brazen in its efforts to glean details about the F-35.<\/p>\n

\"f-35\n<\/picture>
An F-35A Lightning II from the 354th Fighter Wing, Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska, flies a mission on March 10, 2022. Image: A1C Yosselin Perla\/U.S.A.F.<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In 2007, Chinese hackers, believed to be working at the behest of Beijing, had stolen several terabytes of classified information about the American aircraft. The timing is noted as Lockheed Martin was hacked shortly before the Mighty Dragon was actually hatched and revealed to the world.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhilst it is impossible to say how much Western fifth-generation aircraft design has been drawn from by the J-20 designers due to the secrecy surrounding the aircraft, there are visual similarities between the F-22 and J-20,\u201d said Boneham. \u201cThese similarities have generated speculation that data theft and espionage may have been involved in the development of the J-20. The data leak at F-35 producer Lockheed Martin in 2020, for example, was thought to have been attributable to China, although this has not been confirmed.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"f-35\n<\/picture>
Sailors prepare to chock and chain an F-35B Lightning II aircraft assigned to Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 262 aboard the amphibious assault carrier USS Tripoli. Image: MC1 Peter Burghart\/U.S.N.<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

It certainly wouldn\u2019t be the first nor the last time that China has \u201cliberally\u201d borrowed from foreign designs.<\/p>\n

\u201cMany recent Chinese aircraft have born similarities to U.S. platforms,\u201d Boneham continued. \u201cFor example, the J-31 appears to share design features with the F-35 and CAIG Wing Loon II drone is comparable to the US MQ-9.\u201d<\/p>\n

Whether or not the J-20 actually has any F-22 or F-35 DNA may not be the point. Good artists may copy, and great artists may steal, but China\u2019s fifth-generation fighter will likely still lag behind due to the issues with its engine. The greater concern for the U.S. and its regional partners is that the Mighty Dragon could be a mighty leap forward that will lead to even more capable fighters coming out of China.<\/p>\n

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