China's first stealth aircraft enters service

China's first stealth fighter, the J-20, has entered service, making the country the second country after the US to have stealth fighters.

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Reuters reported that China has put into service its J-20 stealth fighter, which is expected to help the country narrow its military technology gap with the United States. In a report late on March 9, Chinese state television confirmed that the J-20 had been put into service but did not provide further details.

The J-20 made its maiden flight in 2011 and was first publicly displayed at the 2016 Zhuhai Airshow in November 2016 in the city of the same name in Guangdong province, China.

Military analysts wonder whether China’s new fighter jet will be suitable for radar-evading stealth, like the F-22 Raptor or the US’s JSF F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. In terms of appearance, the J-20 is quite similar to the US F-22.

Beijing is also developing a second stealth fighter program, the J-31. This fighter was publicly unveiled at the 2014 Zhuhai International Airshow, which coincided with former US President Barack Obama's visit to Asia.

J-20 fighter jet performs at the 2016 Zhuhai International Airshow. Photo: Xinhua

The J-31 is still in development but China hopes the aircraft will compete with the F-35 in the international market, according to Chinese state media reports.

The J-20 stealth fighter development program was launched in the late 1990s, also known as Project 718. Chengdu Aircraft Corporation assumed the role of prime contractor. The J-20 has aerodynamic design based on stealth technology.

The nose of the aircraft is quite similar to the US F-22 stealth fighter. The J-20 is equipped with 2 Russian AL-31F jet engines or Chinese-made WS-10G. The mass-produced version may use domestically produced WS-15 engines.

The J-20 has a large weapon bay under its belly and two small bays on its sides that can carry medium- and short-range air-to-air missiles. The J-20 can reach a maximum speed of 2,100 km/h.

Military analysts say the J-20's engine does not meet fifth-generation fighter standards and could affect the aircraft's stealth capabilities.

According to Zing