2/23/2022 0 Comments J20 stereologyHowever, the fact that the J-20B is currently fitted with Russian-made Saturn AL-31 engines is a sign that Chinese engine manufacturers have been so far unable to close this capability gap. As far as the production of fifth-generation fighters goes, Chengdu Aviation Corporation - the manufacturer of the J-20B - is thought to have around four production lines each capable of producing one aircraft a month. Photo: The Presidential Press and Information Office / The KremlinĬonsidering that Beijing is seeking to close a capability gap between the PLAAF and the USAF, identifying whether they will achieve this warrants attention. The mass production of the J-20B is Beijing’s attempt to close those gaps in quantity and quality within the wider strategic aims of President Xi Jinping’s ‘national rejuvenation.’ Speaking to the National People’s Congress, Xi voiced his belief that building “world-class armed forces that obey the party’s command, and can fight and win wars” is an integral component of that rejuvenation. This was made clear in the J-20B production announcement: Lockheed Martin’s Fort Worth factory had delivered 134 F-35 aircraft in 2019, a 47% increase on the previous year’s output, while China is believed to only have around 50 operational J-20 aircraft in total. Having identified a capability gap between the PLAAF and US Air Force (USAF), Beijing has invested in developing a fighter that can contest US dominance in the air.Īdditionally, Beijing is lagging behind the US in terms of the raw quantity and quality of fifth-gen fighters. ![]() Prior to the J-20s introduction, the PLAAF did not possess a multi-role strike fighter that could perform to the same standards as the US’s fifth-generation aircraft such as Lockheed Martin’s F-35 Lightning II and F-22 Raptor. Considering the significance of airpower to modern warfighting, Beijing likely viewed its lack of fifth-generation fighter systems as a major vulnerability in its A2/AD systems. The announcement of the J-20B moving into mass production is a clear signal that Beijing intends to contest the skies with its strategic competitors. As such, the J-20B will likely serve as both a strike interceptor and air superiority fighter for the People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF). ![]() This is significant as the combination of increased agility, stealth, long-range strike and dogfighting capabilities make the J-20B a true multi-role aircraft. The fighter can also be outfitted with beyond-visual-range attack capabilities in the form of long-range missiles, like the PL-15, hidden in the aircraft’s belly the J-20 can carry at least four of these long-range missiles while maintaining its stealth capabilities. ![]() In addition to these new capabilities, the J-20 platform is already equipped with sophisticated stealth and sensor technology that make the aircraft hard to both detect and hit. TVC allows the pilot of a craft to control the angle of the thrusters that propel the jets through the air, which in turn allows pilots to perform a wider range of attack and evasion manoeuvres. The J-20B possesses added manoeuvrability and air-to-air combat capabilities through the introduction of Thrust Vector Control (TVC), a feature that its predecessor, the J-20A, lacked. – While the J-20B could close the capability gap with the US in the long term, manufacturers still rely on Russian-made engines as Chinese jet engines have faced quality issues BRINGING A DRAGON TO A DOGFIGHTīeijing has announced that the latest iteration of the Chengdu J-20 stealth fighter jet has entered mass production, with new upgrades allowing it to meet the benchmark of other fifth-generation fighters. – The aircraft seeks to close a major capability gap with the US, shore up China’s anti-access area denial (A2/AD) systems and directly challenge aircraft such as the F-35 Lightning II and F-22 Raptor – The J-20B serves as the latest iteration of China’s J-20 stealth fighter, possessing sophisticated stealth technology and Thrust Vector Control that bring it in line with other fifth-generation, multirole fighters Beijing has announced that its J-20 ‘Mighty Dragon’ stealth fighter jet aircraft will be moving into mass production.
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