The J-20 stealth fighter in China features features that mimic the F-35.

The Chinese Air Force released several new, high-resolution images of the J-20 stealth fighter on August 1st, commemorating the founding of its military. However, the photos also revealed some details suggesting that China has incorporated many features of the American F-35 super fighter into the J-20, according to reports.Task and Purpose.

In the photo, the J-20 has just completed its test flight, with its canards and control surfaces raised for inspection. The aircraft only has a yellow primer coat and has not yet been fully coated with the gray stealth paint. The gray details are composite materials, and the dragon head emblem on the tail wing was added on a computer and is not present on the actual aircraft.

The most notable feature is the electro-optical targeting system (EOTS) located under the nose of the aircraft, used to detect targets and guide smart weapons without the need for radar. Experts believe the J-20's electro-optical system has many similarities, and is likely a copy, of the EOTS system on the F-35 fighter jet.

Previous J-20s were not equipped with the EOTS system; they only had a plastic casing to simulate the drag of the complete system. This is the first time China has publicly displayed the EOTS system on a J-20 fighter jet.

The two systems have a similar shape and are both installed under the nose of the fighter jet, unlike the EOTS design which is located on the nose, in front of the cockpit, of Russian and NATO fighter jets. The J-20's sensor cluster appears to be optimized for ground attack and air interception missions. However, it is considered to have a lower field of view and operational range compared to the equipment on the F-35 fighter jet.

Experts predict that the J-20 will still use the Saturn AL-31F engine, which is equipped on Russia's Su-27 fighter jet. Beijing previously fitted the J-20 with its domestically produced WS-10B engine while awaiting the completion of the more modern WS-15 variant. The J-20's airframe incorporates many design solutions from the American F-22 stealth fighter, but the wings and air intakes differ, affecting its stealth capabilities.

China commissioned the J-20 earlier this year, but this is seen as a hasty attempt to counter the US F-22 and F-35. Military experts believe China will need considerable time to develop weapons capable of matching American stealth fighters.

In 2007, Chinese hackers stole technical documents for the F-35 from Lockheed Martin. Australian defense contractors involved in the F-35 project have also recently become targets of Chinese hackers. These are examples showing that China is increasingly stealing foreign technological secrets to apply to its domestic weapons programs.