J-20 stealth fighter thrills crowds at Airshow China

(MENAFN- Asia Times) If there was any doubt that China's J-20 stealth aircraft is a capable match for its US counterpart, the F-22 Raptor, those doubts were wiped out this week at Airshow China 2021, Global Times reported .

As thousands of guests, visitors and journalists looked on under strict epidemic prevention measures, two J-20 Mighty Dragons made their debut with domestically built, Chinese jet engines.

Officially called the 13th China International Aviation and Aerospace exhibition in Zhuhai, Guangdong Province, the week-long event kicked off with a performance of of six J-10 fighter jets of the Red Falcon People's Liberation Army (PLA) Air Force Aerobatics team, followed by two J-20 fighters that suddenly appeared from the clouds.

Due to the cloudy weather conditions, the aircraft were only able to perform what is referred to as a low-altitude show, but that seemed to excite the gathered crowd even more, as the jets darted over their heads with thrilling, 100-metre fly-bys, before spiralling back into the clouds.

Following the J-20s, a JL-10 advanced trainer jet put up an outstanding performance, including challenging maneuvers like the tail slide.

Aircraft including K-8 trainer jets from the PLA Air Force Aviation University's Red Eagle Aerobatics Team and the Wing Loong II armed reconnaissance drone also performed.

This is also the first time a large drone has made a flight performance at the Airshow China, indicating Chinese drone's reliability, analysts said.

Senior Colonel Li Jikuan, commander of the J-20s' flight performance, said at a press conference that the aerobatic moves that J-20 made this time showed the outstanding performance of the aircraft at low altitude and high speed, performing tight turns and under large flight angles.

“This is the first time the J-20 has performed in public after it was fitted with domestically built engines,” Li added. 

Song Zhonping, a Chinese military expert and TV commentator, told the Global Times on that switching to Chinese engines means this will significantly contribute to the mass production and the performance boost of the aircraft.

Zhang said the added thrust will help the J-20 in combat maneuvering and also in supersonic cruise.

With serrated nozzles, the new engines will improve the J-20's stealth capability, since such a design can reflect radar waves to some tight angles, and this will reduce the detection range of hostile radars on the J-20.

The Chengdu J-20, which has only emerged in the last five years or so, is much newer than an F-22 Raptor stealth fighter, according to National Interest.

A key advantage of the F-22 jet is that not only can it hit extremely high speeds, but it can also sustain them as well. 

But with the introduction of a domestically built engine — likely the WS-10C, which replaces the Russian AL-31F — the playing field may have just changed.

Weapons integration, sensor range, electronic warfare, and targeting are also defining attributes likely to help distinguish which aircraft has the advantage in an air-to-air engagement.

An ability to see, attack, out-maneuver, and destroy an enemy aircraft at further ranges and with more targeting precision and sensor fidelity would likely prove to perhaps be the most decisive factor in any combat engagement. 

But, in the words of one of the greatest fighter pilots of all time, Chuck Yeager, there isn't a dime of difference between any of the pilots he met around the world. In saying that, only one thing did set them apart — experience counts.

In other words, it's not the metal surrounding the pilot, it's the man or woman in that seat, that makes the difference.

In other Airshow China news:

• The Chinese army's new-generation service rifle, the QBZ191 5.8mm automatic rifle , and two new rifles in the 191 series, made its debut. The new weapons are designed and manufactured by the China North Industries Group Corporation Limited (NORINCO). The designer of the weapons said that these rifles have already received a great deal of positive feedback from the PLA soldiers and officers who have been armed with these new weapons.

• China revealed its first type of made-for-export ship-borne vertical launch system . One of the most attractive features is its capability to hold quad-pack launch cells that can load up to four missiles instead of just one, observers said. Suitable for all types of seagoing vessels, the HT-1E universal vertical launch system is the first of its kind cleared for export in China, the maker of the system, China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation (CASIC), told the Global Times.

• China will reveal new progress on its next-generation aircraft carrier-based fighter jet this year, the maker of the aircraft said.“When the aircraft is ready, people will get to see it,” Sun Cong, chief designer of the J-15, China's first-generation aircraft carrier-based fighter jet, said at a press conference.“This year, people should be able to see good news on the next-generation aircraft carrier-based fighter jet,” said Sun, who is also the chief designer of the FC-31, China's second stealth fighter jet.

• For the first time, China's J-16D electronic warfare aircraft revealed its jamming pods and missiles in its first public appearance at the Airshow China. The aircraft is equipped with four jamming pods under its wings and air inlets, as well as two missiles under its belly, in addition to the two electronic warfare pods on the wingtips, giving it a comprehensive combat capability that integrates recon, attack and defense.
  
• Other debuts include the unveiling of a rocket for crewed space flight capable of carrying a 25-ton payload to lunar orbit at the event, and the CH-6 drone , according to AP . Powered by two turbofan engines, the CH-6 is aimed at“high-end arms and dual-use markets.” The China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology planned to unveil a“next-generation manned carrier rocket and a heavy-lift launch vehicle,” the Global Times said. It said the 2,000-ton, three-stage rocket would“support China's manned lunar probes.”

Sources: Global Times, Associated Press, The National Interest, Jane's

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