Article: China's Newest Stealth Fighter Flies

[Ryan Ruck]

China Flight Tests New Stealth Jet During Obama Visit

November 11, 2014
By Bill Gertz

China’s military upstaged the Asian economic summit in Beijing this week by conducting flights tests of a new stealth jet prototype, as the White House called on Beijing to halt its cyber attacks.

Demonstration flights by the new J-31 fighter jet—China’s second new radar-evading warplane—were a key feature at a major arms show in Zhuhai, located near Macau, on Monday.

The J-31 flights coincided with President Obama’s visit to Beijing for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit meeting. In a speech and meetings with Chinese leaders, Obama called on China to curtail cyber theft of trade secrets.

China obtained secrets from the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter through cyber attacks against a subcontractor for Lockheed Martin. The technology has shown up in China’s first stealth jet, the J-20, and in the J-31. Both of the jets’ design features and equipment are similar to those of the F-35.

The Chinese warplanes are part of a major buildup of air power by China that includes the two new stealth fighters, development of a new strategic bomber, purchase of Russian Su-35 jets, and development of advanced air defense missile systems. China also is building up its conventional and nuclear missile forces.

Meanwhile, White House Deputy National Security Adviser Ben Rhodes told reporters in Beijing Tuesday that the president would press China’s leader Xi Jinping to curb Chinese cyber espionage.

“Cybersecurity, of course, will be an important focus for the president, given some of our concerns related to cybersecurity and the theft of intellectual property,” Rhodes said in advance of Obama’s meeting Tuesday with Xi.

Rhodes defended the Justice Department’s May 1 indictment of five Chinese military hackers that prompted Beijing to cut off talks on cyber issues. “When we see things on cyber security where we have Chinese actions that disadvantage U.S. businesses or steal intellectual property, we’re going to be very candid about that,” he said.

Obama also was to discuss military exchanges with China that have been put in jeopardy by recent incidents involving threatening Chinese aerial and naval intercepts of U.S. surveillance aircraft and ships in the South China Sea.

“It’s incredibly important that we avoid inadvertent escalation and that we don’t find ourselves having an accidental circumstance lead into something that could precipitate conflict,” Rhodes said.

In a speech Monday in Beijing, Obama said he wants China to become a state that “rejects cybertheft of trade secrets for commercial gain.”

The J-31 flight testing during the summit highlights the Chinese military’s use of high-level U.S. visits to showcase new weaponry.

Military and defense analysts said China’s development of new warplanes poses a threat to regional stability.

“China is moving along at a very rapid pace in its fighter aircraft development and we should be concerned,” said retired Air Force Lt. Gen. Tom McInerney, who said the timing during the president’s visit was similar to the 2011 flight test of the J-20 during a visit by then Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates.

McInerney said Gates halted production of the most advanced U.S. jet fighter, the F-22, at 187 aircraft that “started us on the unilateral disarmament path that President Obama has America on.”

“Neither the J-20 or the J-31 will match the F-22 or F-35 in stealth performance but their successors will and we should be concerned as China is a looming economic and military power,” McInerney said. “They enjoy flaunting their power in front of American leaders who have exhibited weakness.”

In January 2011, China rolled out the J-20 for the first time during the visit to Beijing by Gates, who wrote in his recent memoir, Duty, that one of his aides called China’s timing for the J-20 disclosure “about as big a ‘fuck you’ as you can get.”

Rick Fisher, a specialist on the Chinese military with the International Assessment and Strategy Center, said the J-31 prototype flight at Zhuhai shows a high degree of confidence on the part of the manufacturer, the Shenyang Aircraft Corporation.

“But Shenyang has also displayed a large model of an advanced development of the J-31, that it calls the FC-31,” he said. “The FC-31 shows key design refinements intended to increase platform stealth, or to increase radar reflectivity. These include new horizontal stabilizers, reshaped wings, and a revised rear fuselage area.”

The new advanced version of the jet also will include an electro-optical targeting device under its nose that is very similar to the F-35 targeting unit.

Fisher said the Chinese appear to intend the J-31 for foreign exports and to compete with foreign sales of the F-35 by offering it at a much lower price.

“The FC-31 gains points for a cleaner low observable configuration than the F-35. What we do not know at this point is how their electronic systems compare. While we might give the edge to the F-35 we also have to consider that China is rapidly developing similarly capable radar, targeting systems, and cockpit systems.

The J-31 also is expected to be launched on future Chinese aircraft carriers that will be equipped with catapult launch.

Fisher said the main challenge for the new jet is its engines, which are Russian-made turbofans. “China is now testing an indigenous turbofan for this fighter, but it is not known when it will be ready,” he said.

“But these are small obstacles, especially if Russia will continue to sell Shenyang the engines it requires,” Fisher said. “The FC-31 could become a military and a commercial threat to the F-35. Its well past time to be investing in a much better F-35 as well as a successor to the F-22.”

Li Yuhai, a general manager with the Aviation Industry of China, parent company of Shenyang Aviation, told the state-run Global Times that the J-31 is comparable to the F-35 and will change the status quo by taking a lead role in the aircraft export market.

“Our fourth generation fighter can now compete with foreign fighters,” Li said.

The J-31 was first flight tested in 2012 and has completed at least six aerial tests.

In addition to the J-31, China also showcased a new Y-20 transport aircraft that is a key element of China’s new effort to develop long-range warfighting capabilities. Another aircraft that debuted at Zhuhai was the KJ-2000, a new airborne early warning and control aircraft with technology critical for advanced warfighting.

[Ryan Ruck]

Looks Like China’s Sending a Stealth Fighter to Sea

J-31 mock-up appears on carrier deck

September 27, 2014

A full-scale model of China’s J-31 stealth fighter prototype has appeared on the flight deck of the Chinese navy’s aircraft carrier mock-up, fueling speculation that the radar-evading jet could become part of China’s carrier air wing.

If so, China would enter the race alongside the United States to be the first to deploy a stealth jet on a flattop. The U.S. Navy is struggling to develop the F-35C stealth fighter to fly from the American fleet’s 10 large carriers starting no earlier than late 2018.

China often builds mock-ups of its new warships on land before constructing prototype vessels. In the spring of 2014, Chinese naval architects began assembling a model of a huge new missile cruiser on the campus of a technical institute in Wuhan.

The cruiser model joined an older mock-up of China’s first aircraft carrier Liaoning—actually a refurbished Soviet flattop. Before placing Liaoning into limited service in 2012, the Chinese navy tested the rebuilt carrier’s systems on the model at Wuhan.

And now a photographer has spotted a model of the J-31 fighter on the mock-up carrier’s deck. Chinese engineers could be testing the plane to see whether it can safely maneuver on Liaoning’s 1,000-foot-long flight deck. Liaoning lacks catapults and instead launches planes by way of a bow ramp.

The Chinese carrier is considerably smaller than American flattops.


J-31 on mock carrier deck. Photo via Alert 5

The twin-engine, twin-tail J-31 first appeared in September 2012 at the Shenyang Aircraft Company’s airfield in northeastern China and took off for its debut flight the following month.

The J-31 is similar in layout to the American F-35 and is apparently smaller than China’s other stealth fighter prototype, the J-20, which seems to be around the same size as the U.S. F-22—still the only radar-evading air-to-air fighter in front-line service anywhere in the world.

The U.S., China, Russia and Japan are all working on new stealth planes. But only the United States and China have shown any interest in adapting their new radar-dodging jets for use aboard a full-size carrier at sea—although the U.K., Italy and other countries plan to flying vertical-landing F-35Bs from medium carriers or amphibious assault ships.

In any event, the ocean is hard on stealth. Saltwater and hard deck landings could wreak havoc on a radar-evading plane’s sensitive coatings.

There were early indications that the J-31 might head to sea. For starters, its nose landing gear has two side-by-side wheels, a standard feature on many carrier planes. The extra wheel helps soften the impact of a deck landing.

And to be sure, China needs new carrier planes. Liaoning’s air wing includes up to two dozen J-15 fighters—unlicensed Chinese copies of Russia’s Su-33—plus a dozen helicopters.

By contrast, American carrier air wings boast more than 40 F/A-18 fighters plus EA-18G radar-jammers, E-2 radar early-warning planes, C-2 airlifters and helicopters—more than 60 aircraft, in all.

Liaoning would need “extensive land-based support to oppose a U.S. Navy carrier battle group,” Richard Fisher, a fellow with the International Assessment and Strategy Center, told Defense News.

But the limitations of Liaoning’s air wing are largely a consequence of the Chinese flattop’s comparatively modest size and lack of catapults. Beijing has begun design work—and possibly even early construction—on a new class of larger carriers, presumably with catapults.

The new flattops could accommodate more, bigger and better planes, including new fighters and fixed-wing radar planes like the E-2. The model J-31’s appearance on the carrier mock-up at Wuhan could be a preview of the Chinese carrier air wing of the future.

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J-31 cockpit

[Ryan Ruck]

Just How Good Is China's New 'Stealth' Fighter?

November 13, 2014

Zhuhai's Air Show has always been a venue for surprises, usually first-time showings of advanced Chinese military hardware.

China's pathologically secretive defense industry normally shows nothing official of its weapons programs to anyone, which makes the biennial Zhuhai expo the only chance to see what its weapons makers have been up to.

Much has been written in the past few years about China's defense sector developing increasingly more capable weapons systems that approach the capability of their U.S. and European analogues.

Some Chinese weapons, such as a full range of anti-ship and air-to-surface missiles, seem to show that its military -- the People's Liberation Army (PLA) -- is equipped to challenge U.S. Navy carrier battle groups and potentially deny the U.S. the ability to operate in certain areas of the Pacific. But questions remain about how battle-ready the PLA is and whether it can function in a modern, network-centric warfare environment.

Battlefield autonomy

Today's battlefield operates on the premise that autonomy should be pushed down to the lowest level -- even down to the man in the field -- because time is of the essence. Getting inside of the enemy's "decision loop" is the key to victory. But, giving individual units the ability to make their own tactical decisions without their orders being delivered from several layers up the chain of command is an anathema to the "control uber alles" mentality of the Chinese leadership.

In terms of new weapons, the number one attraction at Zhuhai this year was the new Shenyang FC-31 fighter. It has generated a good deal of excitement as it's the first time a new Chinese military aircraft has been unveiled while still in the early stages of development -- we usually have to wait until after they start serving in the PLA's air force.

The FC-31 is designed to look like a stealth fighter aircraft in the class of the American Lockheed Martin F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. It is also the second, but smaller, stealth-type design to be developed by China. The FC-31's "Big Brother," the Chengdu J-20, first flew in January 2011 but has been shrouded in secrecy ever since.

The FC-31 "looks" stealthy and its shape mimics that of the F-35 in some respects. But it is impossible to tell just how successful the Shenyang design team has been in developing an aircraft with a low radar cross section without knowing the materials used, the placement of the engines inside the aircraft, and how well the heat signature from the engines has been suppressed by the design of the exhaust nozzle section.

Flawed design?

Like other PLAAF fighter aircraft, the FC-31 is powered by Russian-made jet engines, in this case two Klimov RD-93 models, which are a specialized variant of the same engine that powers the famous Mikoyan "MiG-29." There have been rumors that a team of renegade designers from the Mikoyan bureau in Moscow assisted Shenyang in the development of the aircraft, but a senior MiG official stated "no, as far as I know they [the Chinese] completed this design themselves, and they seem to have done a good job on their own."

The MiG official may be correct. An aircraft of this type designed with Russian assistance would probably perform better.

The FC-31's flight routine shows that it "bleeds" too much energy -- so when it enters into a turn it begins to lose altitude. Even during straight and level flight the pilot has to engage the engine's afterburners in order to keep the aircraft from sinking to a lower altitude. These are defects in the aircraft's aerodynamic design that a Russian design team would not have made.

Western aerospace analysts point out that the FC-31 flown at Zhuhai is a "clean" jet in that it is not armed, which means that an aircraft configured for a real mission and fitted with weapons would be even heavier and would perform even worse.

Timing a coincidence?

So, why has the PLAAF chosen to exhibit an aircraft that is either overweight, underpowered or both?

It could be an oblique signal to Washington timed to coincide with President Barack Obama's visit to Beijing for the APEC summit. The underlying message: "China is stronger than you think."

This would not be the first such example of China trying to use its defense industry to flex its muscles. In January 2011, when the J-20 first flew, then-U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates was in Beijing for an official visit. His read was that the timing of the two events was in no way coincidental.

Unfortunately for the PLA, the gesture falls flat.

Many would have been more impressed by the FC-31 in photos posted on Chinese websites than after seeing it actually fly at the air show.

Looks can be deceiving, as they say.

[Ryan Ruck]

China’s Building Stealth Fighters Faster and Faster

Sixth J-20 prototype takes off

December 22, 2014

The first prototype for China’s J-20 stealth fighter appeared in blurry photos in December 2010. Almost exactly four years later, the sixth J-20 has taken flight, just three weeks after the fifth.

Beijing is building J-20s at an accelerating rate. And with six of the huge, twin-engine planes in the air for testing, China is well on its way to finalizing the J-20’s design—and getting the new fighter ready for front-line service.

After debuting in photos that circulated online, the first J-20—nose number 2001—took off for its inaugural flight on Jan. 11, 2011. The second J-20, sporting the nose number 2002, took off more than a year later in May 2012.

Number 2011 was the third J-20. It flew for the first time in March 2014. The following July, nose number 2012—the fourth J-20—launched from the factory airfield in Chengdu.

It took 18 months for Chengdu’s engineers to get 2002 into the air alongside 2001. Just four months passed between 2012’s appearance and the debut of the fifth prototype, nose number 2013.

And 19 days later, 2015—the sixth and possible final J-20 prototype—pierced the hazy air over Chengdu. The prototypes have gathered at Yanliang air base in Xian, China’s main warplane test center.

Maybe there will be a seventh and even eighth prototype. After all, America built eight F-22 prototypes and tested them for eight years before the first of 187 production F-22s were officially ready for combat.


Above — the first J-20. At top—the sixth J-20.

But it’s worth pointing out that China’s previous front-line fighter, the J-10B, entered full-scale production in 2012 after Chengdu built and tested just four prototypes starting in 2008. In October, Chinese media said the J-10B would be war-ready “soon,” according to Jane’s, a military intelligence firm.

The Pentagon has claimed the J-20 could enter squadron service in 2018, seven years after the first prototype began flying. That’s consistent with the F-22’s development and the J-10B’s. And if so, full-scale production will need to begin soon in order for Chengdu’s workers to finish adequate numbers of J-20s to line the tarmac a little over three years from now.

To be sure, the J-20 appears to have reached an evolutionary end-point. The third J-20—with the nose number 2011—boasted big improvements compared to its two predecessors, including a housing for an infrared sensor, engine nozzles optimized for avoiding radar detection and what appeared to be a new stealth coating for its skin.

Since then, the design has stabilized. The latest prototype is similar to the year-old 2011 except for slightly different tail planes.

That said, Beijing is working on a custom motor for the J-20 to replace the prototypes’ Russian-made AL-31Fs. The new WS-15 is still in development.

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China's newest J-20 stealth fighter jets

Published on Jan 4, 2016

#2016 and #2017 are the latest prototypes of Chineses J-20 stealth fighters.

[vector7]

PLAAF fighter receives new toned-down low-visibility markings ...

@Rupprecht_A ‏@RupprechtDeino

One of the four LRIP J-20As spotted at CAC a bit larger and clearer ...



ng

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Current Lockheed test pilot says China J-20 stealth fighter will outclass US fourth gen fighters and threaten carrier groups as China narrows stealth tech gap

Nate “Buster” Jaros is a retired USAF fighter pilot with over 2,000 hours in F-16 C/D/CM and T-38A/C aircraft and over 500 hours in General Aviation aircraft. He is currently a Test Pilot, Instructor Pilot, and LO SME with Lockheed Martin Skunkworks.

Nate provides a detailed review of China J-20 stealth fighter.

Several other analysts have said that the the J-20 is not a fifth generation fighter.

Nate says China will have a fifth generation fighter, and its development of the J-20 (amongst other fifth gen platforms) is significant.

* the J-20 is also called the Black Eagle
* the J-20 looks kind of like an F-22 Raptor
* It basically is a copy as China stole TERAbytes of F-35 data and they pieced together the basic tenets of stealth technology and apply them to its modern aircraft designs.
* the J-20 is that it is a single seat, twin engine, canard/delta design, stealthy fighter platform. There are just four copies being tested right now, with fully operational fighters predicted to be ready by 2018.

The Black Eagle has two Saturn AL-31 engines producing about 30,000 lbs of thrust each. With the possibility of more powerful Xian WS-15 engines currently in development, those are speculated to produce 44,000 lbs of thrust each. The F-22 has roughly 35,000 lbs of thrust per engine.

New engines will make the J-20 better in a dogfight.

The Black Eagle is big. It weighs an estimated 43,000 lbs empty / 80,000 lbs MTOW (Max Takeoff Weight). The Raptor weighs in at 43,000 lbs empty / 83,000 lbs MTOW. Nate believes that the J-20 will be a bit heavier than this, just based on size alone.

It is predicted that the J-20 will carry four to six long range missiles and possibly two short range heat-seeking missiles as well, all inside internal bays. Very ‘Raptor-like.’ The F-22 carries six long range missiles and two heat-seeking missiles, and air-to-ground options too. The Raptor also has a gun, the J-20 does not…we think.

Researchers speculate that the J-20 will have similar performance and agility as a Raptor, some think it will be a fighter/bomber only. Nate believes the J-20 will be more of a “night one” strike asset, with the ability to quickly penetrate enemy defenses, deliver weapons, and safely retreat. It’s not going to be an overly capable dogfighter.

The Black Eagle will be China's best plane. It will be able to sneak in and deliver some crippling blows to any nearby adversary.

Armed with capable air-to-air missiles, and pilots trained in LO tactics, it’s enough the outclass any US fourth generation fighter while BVR (Beyond Visual Range) or provide highly capable strike and standoff to China’s leaders.

SOURCE- Fighter Sweep

[Ryan Ruck]

It's from 2014 but I happened across it in relation to the above article.

Stealth Radar Tests on Passenger Jet

June 9, 2014


Tu-204 number 769, a Russian origin jetliner belonging to the PLAAF's flight testing regiment, is now testing a radar for the J-20 fighter, as shown in a television clip.

The China Test Flight Establishment's (CTFE) Tu-204 has been modified to carry a stealth fighter radome on its nose. Previously, the Russian origin Tu-204 jetliner had been reported to test Chinese air to air refueling technologies. Given the shape and large size of the radome, it is likely that the radar being carried by the Tu-204 is for the J-20 fifth generation fighter. The projected radar for the J-20 is likely the Type 1475 Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar, which provides improved range, transmission power and frequency compared to 1970s era mechanically scanned radars. The F-22's AN/APG-77 radar was also tested on a Boeing 757 during its development.


Shown here are photos and line drawings of Chinese AESA radars. The top one is for the J-10B fighter and has about 1200 transmit/receiver (T/R) modules, the middle one is for the J-16 strike fighter and has 1760 T/R Modules. The bottom one destined for the J-20 5th generation stealth fighter, and has 1856 T/R modules (generally, the more T/R modules on an AESA radar, the more powerful and flexible it is).

The current J-20 prototypes, numbers 2001, 2002 and 2011, most likely carry AESA radars themselves to test the radar performance and to simulate the characteristics of production J-20s as closely as possible. Even so, the People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) would want to also test the Type 1475 radar on a jetliner, since the larger aircraft have additional space to provide onsite monitoring and diagnosis by engineers and equipment. Having a dedicated Tu-204 test platform for the J-20's radar would also allow CTFE to schedule flight tests solely on the needs of evaluating the radar; the test flight schedules of the J-20s would also have to factor in questions about engines, stealth and maneuverability.

You may also be interested in:

Congratulations, it's an AESA Radar
New Chinese Fifth Generation Jet- J-31, Performs More Flight Tests

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J-20's now rumored to be in service...







http://www.toutiao.com/a6336286206464098818/

[Ryan Ruck]

China To Unveil Its J-20 Stealth Fighter At Air Show

October 28, 2016

China will unveil its new generation J-20 stealth fighter jet at an air show next week, the air force said on Friday, the first public showing of a warplane China hopes will narrow the military gap with the United States.

The ability to project air power is key for China as it takes on a more assertive stance on territorial disputes with neighbors in the East China and South China seas.

The Pentagon has said the fifth generation stealth aircraft China is developing, the J-20 and the J-31, are necessary for China's air force to evolve from a mostly territorial force to one that can carry out both offensive and defensive operations.

The J-20 will give a flight demonstration at next week's China International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition in the southern city of Zhuhai, the People's Liberation Army Air Force said in a statement on its official microblog.

Air force spokesman Shen Jinke said the J-20's production was proceeding according to plan and would assist in the air force's mission to "safeguard sovereignty and national security".

"This is the first public appearance of China's indigenously manufactured new generation stealth fighter jet," the air force said.

In June, it said the jet would enter service "in the near future".

The new Y-20 military transport aircraft will also give a flight demonstration at the seven-day air show, which is held every two years and opens on Tuesday.

China showed off the J-31 at the last Zhuhai air show in 2014, a show of muscle that coincided with a visit by U.S. President Barack Obama for an Asia-Pacific summit.

China hopes the J-31, still in development, will compete with the U.S.-made F-35 stealth aircraft in the international market, according to China military watchers and state media reports.

Some analysts have said photographs of the J-20 suggest China may be making faster-than-expected progress in developing a rival to Lockheed Martin's radar-evading F-22 Raptor.

But others say China's defense manufacturers are still struggling to develop advanced engines that would allow its warplanes to match Western fighters in combat.

Beijing has been ramping up research into advanced new military equipment, including submarines, aircraft carriers and anti-satellite missiles, which has rattled nerves regionally and in the United States.

China says there is nothing unusual about its development of military technology, and that it is a reasonable course of action for every country that wants to defend its security.

[vector7]

Chinese J-20 Stealth Fighter was unveiled at China Air Show 2016



Published on Oct 31, 2016
2016年11月1日，两架歼-20飞机在刚刚开幕的第十一届中国国际航空航天博览会进行了不到十分钟飞行展示，这是中国自主研制的新一代 隐身战斗机首次亮相公众视野。据中国空军新闻发言人申进科介绍，此次歼－20飞机进行飞行展示是由空军试飞 员驾驶。歼-20飞机是适应未来战场需要，由中国自主研制的新一代隐身战斗机。目前，歼-20飞机研制正在按计划推进，该机将进一步提升我空军综合作战能力，有助于空军更好地肩负起维护国家主权、 安全和领土完整的神圣使命。作为中国自主研制的第五代战机，歼-20亮相备受世界瞩目。据了解，世界上目前服役的第五代战机只有美国生产的F-22战斗机和F-35战斗机。

China's J-20 stealth fighter was unveiled to the public for the first time on Tuesday at the 11th China International Aviation and Aerial Space Exhibition in Zhuhai City of south China's Guangdong Province as it performed various aerial stunts.

[vector7]

The Hidden Purpose Behind China's Mysterious J-20 Combat jet

January 26 2017 at 6:54 AM


China's Chengdu J-20. Times ASI via Flickr

The US Marine Corps did not mince words when deploying F-35s to Japan, saying that the "arrival of the F-35B embodies our commitment to the defense of Japan and the regional security of the Pacific."

Tensions among the US, US allies, and China have been steadily mounting for years as China builds artificial islands and outfits them with radar outposts and missile launchers in the South China Sea, home to a shipping corridor that sees $5 trillion in trade annually.

One area where the US and China have indirectly competed has been in combat aviation.

In November, China debuted the Chengdu J-20, a large, stealthy jet that some have compared to the F-22 Raptor. But according to experts, the J-20 is not a fighter, not a dogfighter, not stealthy, and not at all like the F-22 or F-35.

Malcolm Davis, a senior analyst at the Australia Strategic Policy Institute, told Business Insider that the J-20 is a "fundamentally different sort of aircraft than the F-35."

Davis characterized the J-20 as "high-speed, long-range, not quite as stealthy (as US fifth-gen aircraft), but [the Chinese] clearly don't see that as important." According to Davis, the J-20 is "not a fighter, but an interceptor and a strike aircraft" that doesn't seek to contend with US jets in air-to-air battles.

Instead, "the Chinese are recognizing they can attack critical airborne support systems like AWACS (airborne early warning and control systems) and refueling planes so they can't do their job," Davis said. "If you can force the tankers back, then the F-35s and other platforms aren't sufficient because they can't reach their target."

Retired US Air Force Lt. Gen. David Deptula gave a similar assessment of the J-20 to Defense & Aerospace Report in November.

"The J-20, in particular, is different than the F-22 in the context that, if you take a look and analyze the design, it may have some significant low-observable capabilities on the front end, but not all aspects — nor is it built as a dogfighter," Deptula said. "But quite frankly, the biggest concern is its design to carry long-range weapons."

What the J-20 lacks in stealth and dogfighting ability it makes up for by focusing on a single, comparatively soft type of target. Unlike the US, which has fielded extremely stealthy aircraft, China lacks the experience to create a plane that baffles radars from all angles.

A senior scientist at Lockheed Martin told Business Insider that the Chinese made serious missteps when trying to integrate stealth into the J-20.

"It's apparent from looking at many pictures of the aircraft that the designers don't fully understand all the concepts of LO design," the scientist said, referring to low-observable, or stealth, design.

Instead, the J-20's design makes for a plane that's somewhat stealthy from the front angle, as it uses its long range and long-range missiles to fly far out and hit tankers and radar planes that support platforms like the F-35 or F-22.

"They're moving into an era where they're designing aircraft not just as an evolution of what they used to have, but they're going into a new space," Deptula said of China's J-20 concept.

However, the J-20 may still be a long way off.

In November, Justin Bronk, a research fellow specializing in combat airpower at the Royal United Services Institute, told Business Insider that the models displayed at Airshow China were not much more than showpieces.

"It's possible that the aircraft that were shown are still instrumented production aircraft," or planes with "loads of sensors to monitor performance" instead of in a combat-ready formation, he said.

Former F-35 and F-22 pilot Lt. Col. David Berke also questioned China's progress in an interview with Business Insider, saying "it's really, really, really hard to make an effective nose-to-tail platform in the fifth gen."

Far from feeling threatened by the J-20, Berke seemed vindicated that the US's potential adversaries have worked so hard to counter emerging US capabilities like the F-35.

"If the things we were doing [with the F-35 and F-22] weren't relevant, effective, the competition wouldn't be worried about trying to match it," Berke said.
http://www.businessinsider.com/the-r...r=UK&IR=T&IR=T


J-20 is back (!)


New attacking range 6500KM

New pic:

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5 J-20 in Formation

June 16 2017

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China's secretive J-31 stealth fighter revealed: Latest prototypes of plane that could take on the F-35 are pictured

• China has been ramping up testing for its secretive J-13 stealth fighter jet
• Craft said to be the same size as America's F-35 and could replace China's J-10s
• Has a range of 775 miles, carries up to 28 tons and reaches Mach 1.8 speeds
• However, the first prototype seemed to be less equipped for the battlefield

By Stacy Liberatore For Dailymail.com

Published: 19:04 EDT, 2 May 2017 | Updated: 09:38 EDT, 3 May 2017

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It has been said to rival America's F-35 fighter jet.

China's improved J-31 is poised to be the nation's stealth fighter for aircraft carriers and would ultimately take the place of the current single-engine J-10s.

Developed by the Shenyang Aircraft Corporation (SAC), the twin-engine J-31 is similar in size to the F-35, has a range of 775 miles, can transport up to 28 tons and is able to reach Mach 1.8 speeds.

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China's improved J-31 is poised to be the nation's stealth fighter for aircraft carriers and would ultimately take the place of the single-engine J-10s that are currently used in battle. The craft has been spending more time in flight tests - suggesting it could soon be put into action

WHAT ARE THE FEATURES?

Developed by the Shenyang Aircraft Corporation (SAC), the twin-engine J-31 is similar in size to the F-35, with a range of 775 miles, can carry up to 28 tons and is able to reach Mach 1.8 speeds.

SAC foresees its craft ultimately replacing the J-10s and the firm may market the J-31 to other nations that are barred from purchasing America's F-35.

The craft boasts an IRST sensor, stealth capabilities, better radar technology and cleaner burner engines.

The team also went as far as to replace the WS-13 engines with domestic WS-13E or WS-17 turbofan engines that give it more speed.

China ranks second in the world's military budget, with $145.8 billion dollars, and it seems the Asian country is looking to use a good portion of its funding to modernize its artillery.

Reports have suggested that the Chines People's Liberation Army currently has approximately 2,200 operational aircraft – but only 600 of which are considered modern.

China first showed-off the J-31 in 2014 at an airshow, which it rose in a nearly vertical climb on take-off in Zhuhai before circling back and doing two rolls.

The fighter's Chinese name is 'Falcon Eagle' and it is manufactured by a unit of Aviation Industry Corp. of China (AVIC), whose defense arm uses the slogan: 'We are making the best weapons for guardians of the peace.'

But the plane's first public appearance came at a time when tensions were high between China and its neighbors over territorial disputes, particularly Japan which has feuded with Beijing over a group of islands in the East China Sea.

SAC foresees its craft ultimately replacing the J-10s and the firm may market the J-31 to other nations that are barred from purchasing America's F-35.

+5

Developed by the Shenyang Aircraft Corporation (SAC), the twin-engine J-31 is similar in size to the F-35, with a range of 775 miles, can carry up to 28 tons and is able to reach Mach 1.8 speeds. This is the second version of the prototype the firm has developed.

However, getting to a point where China is ramping up flight tests was a long journey.

According to Jeffrey Lin and P.W. Singer with Popular Science, the first variant of J-31 was not equipped with cutting-edge technology.

+5

The firm gave the prototype another go in December 2016 and this time, the plane was heavier and longer than its predecessor. In addition to size, the craft was fitted with an IRST sensor, stealth capabilities, better radar technology and cleaner burner engines (concept drawing)

It 'did not fly with advanced avionics like an infrared search and track (IRST) sensor and stealth features like swept vertical stabilizers, suggesting its role to be a proof of concept for testing SAC's stealth technology, and hopefully attract buyers,' they reported.

And when SAC attempted to market the plane as 'an export fifth generation fighter' it feel short among both national and international buyers.

AMERICA'S F-35 IN FIGURES



Role: Stealth multirole fighter
First flight: December 15, 2006
Unit cost (not including engine):
F-35A - $98million
F-35B - $104million
F-35C - $116million
Number built: 115 (as of November 2014)
Length: 51ft (15.67m)
Wingspan: 35ft (10.7m)
Height: 14ft (4.33m)
Max speed (F-35A): 1199mph (1,930kph)

The firm gave the prototype another go in December 2016 and this time, the plane was heavier and longer than its predecessor.

In addition to size, the craft was fitted with an IRST sensor, stealth capabilities, better radar technology and cleaner burner engines.

+5

In addition to size, the craft was fitted with an IRST sensor, stealth capabilities, better radar technology and cleaner burner engines (concept drawing)

The team also went as far as to replace the WS-13 engines with domestic WS-13E or WS-17 turbofan engines that give it more speed.

Now, the J-31 is about the same size as the F-35, has a range of 775 miles, is strong enough to carry up to 28 tons and reaches Mach 1.8 speeds.

Lin and Singer noted that 'the combination of the J-31's high speed performance, and suggested payload of 6 PL-12 or 4 PL-21 long range air to air missiles suggests that the J-31 has been optimized as an air superiority fighter'.

+5

China first showed-off the J-31 in 2014 (pictured) at an airshow. But fells short because it 'did not fly with advanced avionics and stealth features, suggesting its role to be a proof of concept for testing SAC's stealth technology, and hopefully attract buyers'.


Flashbacks on Obama stealth chopper blunder:

Pakistan Looking To Buy China's J-31 Stealth Fighter

Tyler Rogoway
11/22/14 4:35pm



As I predicted since the very first blurry images of J-31 hit the internet, China's youngest stealth project was meant for export as much as for PLAAF use. Pakistan is now said to be beyond the initial discussion phase for buying the stealth jet. This comes during a time of increasing tension with India, whose air combat capabilities have ballooned over the last decade.

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The Chinese-Pakistani arms trading relationship goes back many decades, and as relations with the US continue to chill, Pakistan is looking for a more stable supply source for its air combat needs. This is nothing new, in fact this happened fifty years ago after the Indo-Pakistan War of 1965, when the US placed an embargo in weapons sales to Pakistan. This resulted in Pakistan turning to China for combat aircraft, specifically, the Shenyang F-6, a clone of the Russian MiG-19. Since then the Pakistani Air Force has also fielded Q-5s and F-7s from China, of which the MiG-21 based F-7s are still are in use today. Although somewhat archaic in complexity, these Chinese aircraft have been fielded alongside American F-16s and French Mirages for decades.

The largest deviation into Chinese-based air combat procurement Pakistan has made in recent years was with its jointly developed JF-17 'Thunder' (known as FC-1 in China) light fighter. This nimble and reliable jet is now in its second design evolution as the improved JF-17 Block II, with a third evolution being fielded later this decade.

Pakistan has viewed this cooperative fighter jet program as a giant success, not just in value and enhanced combat capability, but in potential future exportability. Pakistan's Rana Tanveer Hussain, minister of defense production, states in an article from Dawn.com:

"We have nearly confirmed orders from seven countries for JF-17... The PAF has a requirement of 250 aircraft, but now we have decided that we'll sell some of the JF-17 Block-2 to international buyers besides fulfilling our local demand."

This may be a similar direction that Pakistan will attempt to head when it comes to the J-31, known in its export configuration as the JF-31. Both the JF-31 and the JF-17 share the same Russian Klimov RD93 engines (also found in the MiG-29), which presents certain sustainment and commonality synergies for the Pakistani Air Force.

The JF-31 may also allow Pakistan to retire other aircraft and focus on it and the JF-17 for its future combat capability, presenting a relevant and sustainable high-low air combat capability mix.

Currently, the highest-end combat aircraft flown by the Pakistani Air Force are Block 52 F-16s, of which 18 were controversially delivered just a few years ago. Although these fighters are incredibly capable, they are also stringently controlled by US arms export rules and serviced by forward deployed contractors. Export control seals are said to be placed on many of the aircraft's most cutting edge components. Even trackers are rumored to be embedded in the jets that allow the US to monitor their whereabouts and if the US ever saw the jets being used for something it was totally against, there are rumors that they could be disabled in an instant and remotely. Just the US security contingent that is part of the F-16C/D Block 52 export contract is said to cost Pakistan some $30M a year.

Even if the rumors of exotic export control devices are not true, just pulling OEM support for the advanced F-16s could leave many of their most important sensors and systems useless within a very short period of time. Additionally, Pakistan already went through one F-16 embargo and it was not pretty, many of those aircraft, built at the tail-end of the F-16A/B production run, now fly with the Navy's Strike Fighter Weapons School, otherwise known as TOPGUN.



As for procuring the stealthy J-31, Jane's Defence quoted an unidentified Pakistani official as saying that the Pakistani Air Force was in talks with China to buy 30 to 40 of the Shenyang FC-31 stealth jets, which corroborates similar numbers and statements that have been floating around the defense community for months.

The biggest thing Pakistan would gain by fielding the JF-31 is a low-observable fighter aircraft that would make some strides at leveling the Inida-Pakistan air combat equation. India has procured throngs of advanced fighters in the last decade and half, including hundreds of thrust-vectoring Su-30MKIs and dozens of carrier-capable MiG-29Ks. Additionally, many older Indian fighters have been substantially upgraded with new avionics and cutting edge jamming systems.

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India did not stop there when it comes to increasing their air combat might. The Multi-Role Combat Aircraft contract, which will see the French Dassault Rafale flying in Indian colors in coming years. This brings one of the West's most advanced fighters, with a high degree of sensor fusion, to the region, and the stealthy Russian-Indian PGFA fighter program also continues to evolve. That aircraft will be based on Russia's 5th generation stealthy fighter design, the Sukhoi T-50. Finally, India has its own JF-17 like program that is fairly mature, known as the 'Tejas" light combat aircraft. This is mostly indigenous design that is just beginning to be fielded now and will be both land and carrier capable.

What this all adds up to is a vast imbalance of future air combat capabilities between the two nuclear armed and constantly unfriendly neighbors. Fielding the JF-31 would be an attempt by Pakistan of forestalling India's rapidly increasing aerial dominance.

For China, Pakistan would give the J-31 a first export customer and would help offset some of its development costs. Developing two low observable fighters at a one time is not a cheap task, and partnering up for the J-31 could allow more funds to be funneled to the more impressive and strategically relevant J-20 program.

Strangely enough, Pakistan, the US and China's roads have crossed before when it comes to stealth technology. The tail of the stealth chopper that was used in the Bin Laden raid of 2011 was trucked from the site by Pakistani forces and China was given exclusive access to it before it was finally returned to the US at John Kerry's in person request. This was seen as a retaliation for America's unilateral and humiliating action against the Bin Laden compound, located deep in Pakistani territory.

It is a little more than ironic that some of the technology gleaned from that tail is likely embedded into the J-31. Just another reminder of the tightrope the US continues to walk in Pakistan and how for many countries, the international super-power alternative to the US is increasingly China.


Photo credit: J-31 tail shot via Ivan Voukadinov, JF-17 via Russavia (wikicommons), F-16, F-7 and F-16 via USAF, Tejas via Rinju9 (wikicommons), J-31 top shot via Russavia (wikicommons). Other shots via public domain.

Tyler Rogoway is a defense journalist and photographer who maintains the website Foxtrot Alpha for Jalopnik.com You can reach Tyler with story ideas or direct comments regarding this or any other defense topic via the email address Tyler@Jalopnik.com

Companion Threads:

• Pakistan now has Nuclear capable Cruise Missiles as it turns to the Axis for support
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August 14, 2011
Pakistan let China see "stealth" chopper from bin Laden raid

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ISLAMABAD | Sun Aug 14, 2011 2:23pm EDT

ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - Pakistan gave China access to the previously unknown "stealth" helicopter that crashed during the commando raid that killed Osama bin Laden in May despite explicit requests from the CIA not to, the Financial Times reported on Sunday.

The revelation, if confirmed, is likely to further shake the U.S.-Pakistan relationship, which has been improving slightly after hitting its lowest point in decades following the May 2 bin Laden raid.

During the raid, one of two modified Blackhawk helicopters, believed to employ unknown stealth capability, malfunctioned and crashed, forcing the commandos to abandon it.

"The US now has information that Pakistan, particularly the ISI, gave access to the Chinese military to the downed helicopter in Abbottabad," the paper quoted a person "in intelligence circles" as saying.

Pakistan, which enjoys a close relationship with China, allowed Chinese intelligence officials to take pictures of the crashed chopper as well as take samples of its special "skin" that allowed the American raid to evade Pakistani radar, the newspaper reported.

No one from the Pakistani army was available for comment, but the Inter-Services Intelligence Directorate (ISI), Pakistan's top spy agency, denied the report. The paper said Pakistan's top general, chief of army staff Ashfaq Kayani, denied that China had been given access.

The surviving tail section, photos of which were widely distributed on the Internet, was returned to the United States following a trip by U.S. Senator John Kerry in May, a spokesman for the U.S. embassy told Reuters.

Shortly after the raid, Pakistan hinted that it might give China access to the downed chopper, given its fury over the raid, which it considers a grievous violation of its sovereignty.

"We had explicitly asked the Pakistanis in the immediate aftermath of the raid not to let anyone have access to the damaged remains of the helicopter," the Financial Times quoted the source as saying.

In an incident such as the helicopter crash, it is standard American procedure to destroy sophisticated technology such as encrypted communications and navigation computers.

Pakistan is a strategic ally to the United States but the relationship has been on a downward spiral since the killing of the al Qaeda leader in the raid by U.S. forces.

Islamabad was not informed in advance and responded by cutting back on U.S. trainers in the country and placing limits on CIA activities there.
The fact that the al Qaeda chief lived for years near the Pakistani army's main academy in the northwestern garrison town of Abbottabad reinforced suspicions in Washington about Islamabad's reliability in the war against militant Islamists.

There are also growing frustrations with Pakistan over its reluctance to mount offensives against militant factions in the northwest who are fighting U.S.-led foreign forces across the border in Afghanistan.

In a show of displeasure over Pakistan's cutback in U.S. trainers, its limits on visas for U.S. personnel and other bilateral irritants, the United States recently suspended about a third of its $2.7 billion annual defense aid to Pakistan.

Despite this, both sides have tried to prevent a breakdown of relations.

The head of Pakistan's powerful Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), Lieutenant-General Ahmad Shuja Pasha, visited the United States last month for talks with U.S. government and intelligence officials, which both sides said went well.

Despite the billions in aid, Pakistan still considers China a more reliable ally than the United States. China is a major investor in predominantly Muslim Pakistan in areas such as telecommunications, ports and infrastructure. The countries are linked by a Chinese-built road pushed through Pakistan's northern mountains.

Trade with Pakistan is worth almost $9 billion a year for Pakistan, and China is its top arms supplier.

In the wake of attacks that left 11 people dead in the China's western region of Xinjiang in late July, Pakistan quickly dispatched Lieutenant-General Pasha to Beijing.

Flashbacks on Obama's stealth drone blunder:

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Iran developing long-range drones, aerospace director says

New generation of UAVs will have a 2000-kilometer range, Tehran claims — more than enough to reach Israel

By Ilan Ben Zion October 17, 2012, 6:37 pm

Chief of the aerospace division of Iran's Revolutionary Guards, Amir Ali Hajizadeh (left), near a captured US RQ-170 Sentinel drone (photo credit: AP/Sepahnews)

Related Topics

• UAV Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
• Iran
• Manouchehr Manteqi

Nearly two weeks after Israel shot down what is widely thought to be an Iranian-made drone over its airspace, Tehran on Wednesday announced the development of medium- and long-range drones capable of making the journey to Israel.

Manouchehr Manteqi, the managing director of the Iranian Aviation Industries Organization, told Fars News that Tehran has “a series of designs and achievements” for drones with ranges as great as 2,000 kilometers.

The long-range drones would be unveiled within two or three years, he told the semi-official Iranian news agency.
At their closest point, Israel and Iran are just shy of 1,000 kilometers apart.

On October 6, Israel downed a drone over the Yatir forest in the northern Negev. Lebanese militant group Hezbollah claimed responsibility for the UAV, saying it was built using parts from Iran.

The Iranian military currently employs 15 different types of drones for intelligence, attack, and aerial defense roles. Earlier this month the head of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards’ aerospace division, Gen. Amir Ali Hajizadeh, claimed that the Iranian armed forces had already developed a UAV that can fly 2,000 kilometers and can carry “bombs and missiles.”

Manteqi told the paper that “class two” and “class three” drones that Iran was developing were capable of flying at 30,000 feet for 15 hours and 50,000 feet for 24 hours, respectively. He gave no indication of what role — intelligence or attack — the drones would have, or what size payload the UAVs would be able to carry.

The American Global Hawk UAV, by comparison, has an operational range of 14,000 kilometers and a flight time of 28 hours, according to the US Air Force. The Israeli Aerospace Industries Eitan has a range in excess of 7,400 kilometers and an estimated flight time of 70 hours.

Israeli UAV expert Tal Inbar told The Times of Israel last week that Iran is at least 20 years behind the cutting edge of drone technology.

12 December 2011 Last updated at 15:03 ET
Obama asks Iran to return captured drone




Iranian TV showed the unmanned "stealth" aircraft apparently undamaged

Related Stories

• Capture of drone a blow to CIA
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President Barack Obama has said the US government has requested that Tehran return the surveillance drone captured by Iran's military earlier this month.

Mr Obama said he would not comment on classified intelligence matters, but confirmed: "We have asked for it back. We'll see how the Iranians respond."

Iranian TV broadcast pictures of the intact RQ-170 Sentinel last week.

Tehran said the aircraft was brought down using electronic warfare; Washington insisted it malfunctioned.

Earlier on Monday, Iranian state TV reported that military experts were in the final stages of recovering data from the drone.

A member of the Iranian parliament's national security committee, Parviz Sorouri, said the information they extracted would be used to "file a lawsuit against the United States over the invasion" by the aircraft.

'Provocations'
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton admitted that she did not think it likely that the drone would be returned.

"We are very clearly making known our concerns. We submitted a formal request for the return of our lost equipment, as we would in any situation.

Given Iran's behaviour to date, we do not expect them to reply," she said.

She said that despite numerous "provocations" from Iran, the US would continue to pursue a "diplomatic approach".

The Revolutionary Guards, whose officers were filmed inspecting the drone on Thursday, said it crossed Iran's eastern border with Afghanistan and travelled 250km (155 miles) inside its airspace, before being brought down in a cyber attack.

However, US officials have said that intelligence assessments indicated that Iran neither shot down the aircraft nor used electronic warfare or cyber-technology to force it from the sky. They blamed a malfunction.

They are, however, concerned that Iran or its allies may be able to determine the chemical composition of the drone's radar-deflecting paint, or copy its engine, control systems, and sophisticated cameras and sensors, which allow it to monitor the ground from high altitude.

The Iranian government has sent a letter of protest to the United Nations, accusing the US of "provocative and secret actions" violating international law, and warning against any "repetition of such actions".

A former US official has said the Pentagon was using the drone to keep watch on Iran's controversial nuclear programme. Western powers believe Iran is trying to develop nuclear weapons, which it denies.

Iran Mocks US With Toy Drone


By RANDY KREIDER | ABC News – Tue, Jan 17, 2012



The Iranian government, which captured a U.S. stealth drone in December, has agreed to give the top-secret spy craft back, but with a catch.

Instead of the original RQ-170 Sentinel drone, the Islamic Republic said Tuesday that it will send President Obama a tiny toy replica of the plane.

Iranian state radio said that the toy model will be 1/80th the size of the real thing. Iranian citizens can also buy their own toy copies of the drone, which will be available in stores for the equivalent of $4.

The White House formally requested return of the drone after the Iranians displayed it on state television. The U.S. says that the craft was operating over Eastern Afghanistan.

PICTURES: Covert War: Iran's Nuclear Program Attacked

The Iranians claim they detected the drone well inside Iran's border and then took control of the craft electronically and brought it down safely. The U.S. has denied that the craft came down for any reason other than technical malfunction.

On Dec. 11, after President Obama said he had requested the return of the drone, an Iranian general said that it was not going to happen. The general also warned on Iranian television of a "bigger response" to the "hostile act" of crossing into Iranian airspace.

"No one returns the symbol of aggression to the party that sought secret and vital intelligence related to the national security of a country," Iranian Islamic Revolution Guards Corps [IRGC] Lt. Commander Gen. Hossein Salami said, according to Iran's Fars News Agency.

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said that "given Iran's behavior to date, we do not expect them to comply" with Obama's request. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta also said he didn't expect Iran to hand over the drone, but told reporters, "I think it's important to make that request."

Thanks Barack, you refused to recover or destroy the drone and Handed it Over to the Iranian Regime. Now they are Building a Copy of Captured US Drone With the Help of Russia and China.

Posted by Jim Hoft on Sunday, April 22, 2012, 10:32 AM



Despite repeated warnings from the Pentagon, Barack Obama rejected three plans to recover or destroy the US drone that was intercepted over Iranian territory.

Jennifer Griffin reported this after the drone was captured.

Obama rejected three different proposals to recover or destroy the US drone that is now in the hands of the Iranian regime.

Of course, the democrat-media complex completely ignored this story.

Now this…
The Iranian regime announced today that they would build a copy of the captured US drone.
The AP reported:

Iran claimed Sunday that it had reverse-engineered an American spy drone captured by its armed forces last year and has begun building a copy.

Gen. Amir Ali Hajizadeh, chief of the aerospace division of the powerful Revolutionary Guards, related what he said were details of the aircraft’s operational history to prove his claim that Tehran’s military experts had extracted data from the U.S. RQ-170 Sentinel captured in December in eastern Iran, state television reported.

Among the drone’s past missions, he said, was surveillance of the compound in northwest Pakistan in which Osama Bin Laden lived and was killed.

Tehran has flaunted the capture of the Sentinel, a top-secret surveillance drone with stealth technology, as a victory for Iran and a defeat for the United States in a complicated intelligence and technological battle.

U.S. officials have acknowledged losing the drone. They have said Iran will find it hard to exploit any data and technology aboard it because of measures taken to limit the intelligence value of drones operating over hostile territory.

Hajizadeh told state television that the captured surveillance drone is a “national asset” for Iran and that he could not reveal full technical details.

http://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2012...ured-us-drone/

CHINA HAS COPIED THE US RQ-170 STEALTH UAV that was captured by Iran calls it Sharp Sword

Published on Jul 17, 2013
A pair of grainy photos shot at long distance could be the best evidence yet of Beijing's first jet-powered and presumably armed drone warplane.

The images, one of which was cropped and enhanced by Internet users and has been reproduced here, first appeared to the wider English-speaking world on Thursday afternoon on the Secretprojects.co.uk web forum.

The pics follow close behind the equally ambiguous photo debuts of China's two stealth fighter prototypes (in 2010 and 2012) and its homegrown heavy transport plane (this year). A far blurrier and even more ambiguous photo possibly depicting the new drone appeared on a Russian Website in March.

"What's Chinese for, 'Here we go again?'" Aviation Week reporter Bill Sweetman quipped upon seeing the purported killer drone images.

Consensus among China watchers is that the vehicle depicted in the photos is the Lijian, or "Sharp Sword," Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicle, a collaboration between Chinese aerospace firms Shenyang and Hongdu. Powered by a single jet engine and resting on tricycle landing gear, the Sharp Sword UCAV seems to sport the flying-wing shape shared by several U.S.-made killer drones prototypes.

The flying wing platform, also used by the U.S. B-2 stealth bomber, is ideal for radar-evading designs.

Beyond its basic shape and possible radar-evading qualities, not much is known about the apparent new drone. But that doesn't mean the robot's appearance is unexpected. China has already unveiled a rudimentary prop-driven armed drone.

And the latest edition of the Pentagon's annual report (.pdf) on Chinese military capabilities, released earlier this week, predicted a more sophisticated Chinese UCAV would soon make an appearance. "The acquisition and development of longer-range Unmanned Aerial Vehicles ... and Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicles, will increase China's ability to conduct long-range reconnaissance and strike operations," the report stated.

It's worth noting that China is the last major aerospace power to debut a jet-powered, low-radar-signature killer drone prototype. The U.S. has led the pack, test-flying no fewer than five UCAVs since the late 1990s and even bringing one unarmed variant, the RQ-170, into frontline service. Europe has the Neuron and Taranis models in development and Russia is working on a version of the MiG Skat.

As drone developers all over the world have discovered, airframes are often the easiest part of the system to create. What's hard are the software, datalinks, control systems and payloads that transform what are in essence large model airplanes into effective robotic weapons. And it's with these key subsystems that China will likely have the most trouble.

The Pentagon China report specifically lists "solid-state electronics and micro processors [and] guidance and control systems" as technologies Beijing finds it easier to buy or steal from the U.S., Europe and Russia than to develop on its own. U.S. experts worried that China might gain access to some American drone technology via an RQ-170 that crashed in Iran in 2011.

So far the Sharp Sword has apparently only been spotted taxiing along a runway on ground tests. It's not clear when its developers might attempt a first flight. Even less clear is whether, and how soon, the Chinese killer drone might enter frontline use.

Source: Wired Magazine

[Ryan Ruck]

A couple of those pics show what look like drop tanks on the J-20 which would certainly give it longer legs. Given that and its size, the J-20 is definitely more geared towards the medium/tactical bomber role. Like a more modern F-111 or B-58 or, to compare it to the Russian/Chinese hardware, Tu-22.

The J-31 is most certainly the dogfighter.

[vector7]

China gives the world a glimpse of its military firepower as it shows off missiles from the J-20 stealth fighter plane that will rival the US F-22 jet

• A pair of J-20 jets made an appearance on the final day of the Zhuhai Airshow
• The fighter planes opened their missile bay doors as they flew past spectators
• Four missiles are stowed in the fuselage and the jet also had one on either side
• China claims the J-20 will rival the F-22 and F-35 jets developed by the US
  

By Joe Pinkstone and Tracy You For Mailonline

Published: 19:08 EST, 11 November 2018 | Updated: 14:50 EST, 12 November 2018

China has revealed the frightening arsenal of missiles carried by its J-20 stealth fighter jets.

The advanced warplanes were paraded to the public yesterday as the grand finale to a six-day airshow in Zhuhai.
Two J-20 fighter jets opened their cargo bay doors and revealed four missiles in its fuselage and one on either side of the aircraft.

Top Chinese officials, according to the Global Times, said the demonstration displayed the J-20's superiority to the top US fighter jets, the F-22 and F-35.



Two J-20 fighter jets opened their missile bay doors and revealed four missiles in its fuselage and one on either side of the aircraft (pictured) at the Zhuhai Airshow

Video playing bottom



WHAT IS CHINA'S J-20 STEALTH FIGHTER?

China's new war plane made its first flyby in November 2016.

The fighter jet is swift, stealthy, and armed with long-range missiles.

Its design is similar to US fighter jets, stoking concerns that the Chinese military used 'stolen' plans obtained by hackers to develop the stealth plane and further drive its military ambitions.

Experts have said that the plane represents a leap forward in China's ability to project power in Asia, and will compete with US military technology.

China is set to overtake the US as the world's top aviation market in the next decade.

The newspaper said two J-20 fighter jets opened their missile bay doors during a flypast.

Military expert Song Zhongping as saying the four missiles in the J-20's fuselage were long-range air-to-air missiles, while the two on the sides were short-range combat missiles meant for aerial combat.

According to footage released by China Central Television Station, the J-20 is equipped with four PL-15 mid-range air-to-air missiles and one PL-10 short-range 'combat' missile on either side.

Chinese news site Sohu previously claimed PL-15 was a wing-less missile and 5.7 metres (18.7 feet) long. It was said to boast an impressive range of 400 kilometres (249 miles) and could help PL-15 out-perform F-22.

PL-10, on the other hand, was reported to have exceptional abilities to intercept other missiles.

In a post on the PLA's English-language website earlier this year, Chinese military expert Song Zongping said the J-20 will 'engage with rivals in the future who dare to provoke China in the air.'

When the aircraft was shown to the public, there were claims to suggest that it had been built in part from plans of US war planes, particularly the F-22 Raptor, obtained by Chinese hackers jailed last year.

Beijing has firmly denied the theory as it insists that J-20 had been developed and built solely with the Chinese technology.

Military analysts previously said it was still too early to tell if the jet matches the capabilities of the US F-22 Raptor.

Although pictures of the medium and long-range fighter jets had been released in the past, never before had they shown the weaponry they would carry.



Top Chinese officials said the demonstration displayed the J-20's superiority to the top US fighter jets, the F-22 and F-35 (file photo)



The advanced warplanes were paraded to the public as the grand finale to the six-day airshow in Zhuhai and performed a flypast to onlooking spectators (file photo)



When the aircraft was shown to the public at an air show in China last November, there were claims to suggest that it had been built in part from plans of US war planes, particularly the F-22 Raptor (file photo)

As China's fourth-generation fighter jet, J-20 made its maiden flight in 2011.

According to China Central Television Station (CCTV), J-20 be powered by a made-in-China engine and possess similar combat capabilities to America's F-22 Raptor.

In 2016, a Chinese national, 51-year-old Su Bin, was sent to prison for his part in stealing US military plans and sending documents to Beijing.

The documents were reported to include plans for the F-35 and F-22 fighter jets, which would have enabled the Chinese military to rapidly catch up with US capabilities.

China claims it is set to overtake the US as the world's top aviation market in the next decade.

Experts say China has been refining designs in hopes of narrowing a military gap with Washington.



Although pictures of the medium and long-range fighter jets had been released in the past, never before had they shown the weaponry they would carry (file photo)



China claims it is set to overtake the US as the world's top aviation market in the next decade. Experts say China has been refining designs in hopes of narrowing a military gap with Washington (file photo)

Cao Qingfeng, an aircraft engineer at the 2016 Zhuhai Airshow, said J-20's 'stunning' display was a show of China's strengthening aircraft industry and manufacturing - and Western officials agreed.

'This shows they now have confidence to put it out in public,' said a Western industry official who has monitored the biennial show from its inception 20 years ago.

'This is the airplane for China in the way that the J-31 is not; this is the one they develop for themselves,' he added.

Despite the impressive show of aerial military might, some foreign observers have questioned its stealth capabilities.

[Ryan Ruck]