China’s own fifth-generation air-superiority jet fighter the J-20 last week strutted its stuff in its first live-fire war game held since its March 2017 deployment, along with regiments of other warcraft including H-6K Badger bombers, a “Chubby Girl” Y-20 airlifter, and J-16 fighters, among others that entered service in recent years, the PLA Daily has reported.
The well-orchestrated exercise encompassed nearly all major People’s Liberation Army airbases throughout the nation, with Y-20s bracing the frigidity when taking off from airstrips on the Tibetan Plateau and H-6Ks ascending through midnight smog in quick response to mock attacks.
State broadcaster China Central Television (CCTV) also aired on Wednesday footage of J-20 superfighters engaging in beyond-visual training, which also included mock combats against J-16s and J-10s.
Observers say what is significant is the report that J-20s and J-16s got airborne at the same time from the PLA Air Force’s Zhurihe base in northern China’s Inner Mongolia region and the indigenous fifth- and fourth-generation fighters had a simulated dogfight.
“This means both the two new fighters are now in full, operation-ready deployment and that the PLAAF is now able to hold combats between the two to hone the skills of its pilots, as both fighters are the cachets of their respective generations,” notes a commentary that appeared on Sohu, a Chinese news portal.
One of the J-20 pilots, Chen Liu, whose grandfather Liu Yuti was a PLA air marshal who shot down eight US and South Korean jets during the Korean War, told CCTV that their task was like those of video-game testers or “white hat” hackers to identify mechanical and software glitches that must be fixed or debugged before the next mission or drill. They also compile manuals and instructions for other PLA units as J-20 production is being ratcheted up for wider deployment this year.
This coincides with rumors that large hangars have been built at the Zhurihe airbase, believed to house J-20s stationed there.
Jim Smith, a British weapons expert, said on the UK-based aviation blog Hush-Kit that the main edge of the J-20 over foreign fifth-generation fighters was its ability to carry significantly more fuel, coupled with the scope for use of a longer weapons bay. The overall outcome could be a remarkable multi-role aircraft, with a particular strike role, carrying area-denial weapons.
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Nobody can steal turbofan engine technology because they so complicted and sophisticated.
China have the fastest super-computers and they can design anything under the sun.
Who had stolen making gunpower in the past?
There is no such thing call taiwan air space or taiwan AIDZ. There is only one that is china AIDZ. If US & others state has the capacity & carI age, than why don’t they come & landed in to taiwan land.
China is moving forward so fast. I love it
Congrats china tommorrow your engine will overhaul
Hello, if you don’t know what is going on, read up more or keep quiet.
You think you are marrying it?
500 J-20s equipped with WS-15 engines are currently their plans for the future, 2019!!!
J20s are just a showcase thing without proper engines.Otherwise why would china bought russian su35 to protect their airspace.They can’t even built reliable and modern engines for the planes.
Hmmmmmmmmm sour grapes perhaps?
Why in the world they want to copy American designed and made junk like the F35 and out dated technology like the F22? China does a fine job with it`s own technology and aircraft designers. in fact they are leaving the US behind in the dust.
UPPSSS.. FEELING ICHY
CONGRATS CHINA
The plane looks crappy and ugly
Yeah WOW, what an achievement!
How did they do it?
What? Stole the plans from the US?
Oh no!