China showed off its new stealth fighters at the country's largest airshow, and the images are impressive
The Chinese People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) kicked off the show with a half-hour demonstration including a six-minute flight featuring three J-20 stealth fighters.
The J-20, a Chengdu Aircraft Industry Group product that made its maiden flight in 2011, was designed to close the gap between American and Chinese air power.
"The J -20 aircraft is China’s own new generation stealth fighter, developed to meet the needs of the future battleground," PLAAF spokesman Shen Jinke said prior to the aircraft's unveiling in 2016. While China claims the aircraft are Chinese designs, the resemblance to certain American aircraft has led to speculation that espionage may have played a role in the fighters development.
Source: CNN
The J-20, a "fifth-generation" multirole fighter, reportedly entered military service in March 2017. Combat training began that fall, and it was added to combat units in February 2018.
Source: IHS Jane's Defence Weekly
The fighters are among only a handful of fifth-generation fighters, but some observers argue that the J-20's inferior engines and the reported inability to maintain stealth at supersonic speeds prevent the plane from being worthy of the classification.
Source: South China Morning Post
Another stunning performance at the Zhuhai Airshow was put on by a J-10B fighter, which demonstrated advanced maneuverability relying on thrust vectoring control capabilities.
The surprise addition to the show is suspected to have flown with a modified version of the Chinese Shenyang WS-10 engine.
Visitors were able to get a closer look at the J-10B on the ground.
Attendees were also able to observe the Xi'an Y-20 military transport aircraft, commonly known as the "Chubby Girl." The aircraft made its first flight in 2013 and entered service two years ago.
The airshow also appears to have featured bombers, as well as Chinese commercial aviation projects.
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