Chengdu J-20 in flight. (Photo : PLAAF)
The less than one minute flyby of two of China's Chengdu J-20 "stealth" long-range fighters at the Zhuhai Air Show on Nov. 1 led to confirmations this low observable jet will mostly be used to attack U.S. warships and unarmed U.S. military aircraft such as aerial refueling tankers.
The J-20 probably won't be used against the Northrop Grumman F-35 Joint Strike Fighter or the Northrop Grumman F-22 Raptor, which were both designed as stealth air superiority fighters whose job is to clear the sky of any enemy aircraft they face while remaining almost "invisible" from detection.
Two days after the flyby, a website of the People's Liberation Army (PLA), China Military, ran a story entitled, "Attacking ships is the 5th-generation stealth fighter jets' capability" that confirms the role of the J-20 as a maritime strike aircraft and not as a dogfighter against U.S. jets.
This admission also verifies claims the J-20 isn't a true stealth aircraft but is only a "low observable" (LO) jet with some stealth-like qualities. The J-20's LO qualities are only effective if it approaches a target from head on, where its radar cross section is at its smallest.
Oddly, a Chinese newspaper described the J-20 as a "fourth generation" aircraft because it met the requirements for a 4th gen fighter: stealth technology, supersonic cruising speed, highly integrated avionics and electronic fire-control systems.
China earlier announced the J-20 had gone into low rate initial production and that only four of these jets have so far been produced this year. There are rumors production of the fighter has fallen behind schedule because of the unavailability of the fighter's new engines.
Apparently aware of these rumors, General Ma Xiaotian, Commander of the People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF), announced China will hasten production of the J-20
"It's a very good thing that our J-20 made an appearance here (at Zhuhai). We're speeding up development," said Gen. Ma.
Gen. Ma also revealed the J-20 won't be exported, a sign China is concerned about revealing the jet's secrets and that the jet might not be all China advertises it to be.
"We are not considering putting (the J-20) on the global market," said Gen. Ma.
It remains to be seen if Gen. Ma's soothing comments will be enough to change the disappointing impression left by the flyby of two J-20s at Zhuhai.
Military analysts from the west noted the Chinese put both J-20s through relatively safe maneuvers that lasted for less than one minute. After a very loud low level pass, both jets executed a series of gentle turns before flying away.
Nothing revealed by the J-20s at Zhuhai dispelled the notion this jet isn't quite the equal of the F-35.
