Chengdu J-20

J-20 Mighty Dragon
J-20 flight at the 2022 Changchun Air Show
Role Stealth air superiority fighter
National origin China
Manufacturer Chengdu Aerospace Corporation
First flight 11 January 2011; 13 years ago[1][2]
Introduction 9 March 2017[3][4]
Status In service[5]
Primary user People's Liberation Army Air Force
Produced 2009–present[6]
Number built 300+[7]
Developed from J-XX

The Chengdu J-20 (Chinese: 歼-20; pinyin: Jiān-Èrlíng), also known as Mighty Dragon (Chinese: 威龙; pinyin: Wēilóng,[8][9][10] NATO reporting name: Fagin),[11] is a twin-engine all-weather stealth[12] fighter developed by China's Chengdu Aerospace Corporation for the People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF).[5] The J-20 is designed as an air superiority fighter with precision strike capability.[13] The aircraft has three notable variants: the initial production model, the revised airframe variant with new engines and thrust-vectoring control, and the aircraft-teaming capable twin-seat variant.

Descending from the J-XX program of the 1990s,[14] the aircraft made its maiden flight on 11 January 2011,[1][2] and was officially revealed at the 2016 China International Aviation & Aerospace Exhibition.[15] The aircraft entered service in March 2017[5] with the first J-20 combat unit formed in February 2018,[5] making China the second country in the world and the first in Asia to field an operational stealth aircraft.[16]

  1. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference wsj_2011-01-12 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference avweek_2011-06-30 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Chan, Minnie (10 March 2017). "China's J-20 stealth fighter joins the People's Liberation Army air force". South China Morning Post. Archived from the original on 10 March 2017. Retrieved 10 March 2017.
  4. ^ "China's first stealth fighter J-20 enters service with Air Force". The State Council Information Office of the People's Republic of China. 13 March 2017. Archived from the original on 14 April 2018.
  5. ^ a b c d Dominguez, Gabriel (2 February 2018). "PLAAF inducts J-20 into combat units". Jane's 360. Archived from the original on 2 December 2018. Retrieved 27 May 2018.
  6. ^ Cite error: The named reference Australian Aviation was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ Joe, Rick (11 June 2024). "China's 6th Generation and Upcoming Combat Aircraft: 2024 Update". The Diplomat. Archived from the original on 11 June 2024. Retrieved 19 June 2024.
  8. ^ "Chengdu J-20 Multirole Stealth Fighter Aircraft". Air Force Technology. 20 April 2011. Archived from the original on 12 November 2021. Retrieved 24 August 2018.
  9. ^ Demerly, Tom (7 December 2018). "The Mystery Chinese Stealth Jet Seen at U.S. Base Is For Marine OPFOR Training". The Aviationist. Archived from the original on 22 August 2020. Retrieved 14 January 2019.
  10. ^ Pickrell, Ryan (10 December 2018). "The US military put a fake Chinese J-20 stealth fighter at a Georgia airbase". Business Insider. Archived from the original on 20 July 2020. Retrieved 14 January 2019.
  11. ^ "ODIN - OE Data Integration Network". odin.tradoc.army.mil. Archived from the original on 26 September 2023. Retrieved 27 September 2023.
  12. ^ "Does China's J-20 rival other stealth fighters?". CHINA POWER PROJECT by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). 15 February 2017. Archived from the original on 23 February 2018. Retrieved 10 June 2020.
  13. ^ Cite error: The named reference aw_210405 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  14. ^ "中国空军选定下一代战机由611所方案胜出". War China (in Chinese). 5 November 2010. Archived from the original on 2 November 2016. Retrieved 10 June 2013.
  15. ^ Dominguez, Gabriel (1 August 2017). "China's J-20 fighter makes parade debut". Jane's 360. Archived from the original on 28 May 2018. Retrieved 27 May 2018.
  16. ^ Seidel, Jamie (20 October 2017). "With the J20 stealth fighter in fully operation service, China leaps ahead in Asian arms race". Australian News. Archived from the original on 26 February 2018. Retrieved 20 October 2017.