a |
|
World
Air Force News - China |
|
|
|
|
Fifth-generation Chinese stealth fighter aircraft J-20 conducts new test
flight in southwest of China.
|
|
The
Chinese Press Agency Xinhuanet unveils new pictures which show latest
test flight of the new generation of stealth fighter aicraft J-20 in Chengdu,
southwest China's Sichuan province, November 21, 2011. |
|
|
|
The Chengdu J-20 is a fifth-generation of twin-engine
stealth fighter aicraft designed and manufactured by the Chengdu Aicrfat
Industry. The J-20 made its first flight on 11 January 2011.
China thus became the third nation in the world to "develop and
test-fly a full-size stealth combat aircraft demonstrator", after
the United States and Russia.
The Guardian reported that experts, on the one hand, expressed "surprise"
at the speed with which the aircraft was developed, but on the other
hand "said the country's military prowess was still relatively
backward and way behind that of the US" and that its military interests
were limited to its region.
The J-20 is a single-seat, twin-engine aircraft which appears to be
somewhat larger and heavier than the comparable Sukhoi T-50 and Lockheed
Martin F-22 Raptor.
The J-20 has a large belly weapon bay for short/long-range air-to-air
missiles (AAM) (PL-10, PL-12C/D & PL-21) and two smaller lateral
weapon bays behind the air inlets for short-range AAMs (PL-10).
|
|
|
|