The J-20 stealth fighter is being produced more quickly in China, where at least 200 are believed to have been produced.
On November 27, a Chinese military source claimed that due to the US’s increased deployment of F-22 and F-35 stealth fighters to Northeast Asia, China had sped up the production of J-20 fighter jets. Based on the codes and numbers on the fuselage displayed at the air show in Zhuhai from November 8–13, some reports claim that China may have produced at least 200 J-20s.
The codes painted on two of the four J-20s at the Zhuhai air show, according to military analyst Andreas Rupprecht, suggested that the Chengdu Aircraft Industry Group (CAIG), the fighter’s manufacturer, had discussed it. delivered at least 140 items in their most recent delivery. In January, Chinese media stated that the Chinese military intended to send roughly 200 J-20 fighters to the region in response to the increased US deployment of F-35s and to meet the demand for intense training.
Although the Chinese army did commission J-20 fighters in 2017, the precise quantity has not been disclosed. The J-20 fighter jet was employed by forces from all 5 command zones of the Chinese army, according to Colonel Shen Jinkeh, a spokesman for the Chinese Air Force.
After the Chinese military opted to swap out the Russian Saturn AL-31 engine for an indigenous WS-10C engine in 2020, CAIG began J-20 series production. The WS-15 high-thrust engine, which Chinese engineers are working on building and which is anticipated to assist the J-20 bridge the performance gap with the F-22, is running behind schedule.
According to Chinese experts, the J-20 is the country’s air force’s response to the US-developed F-22 fighter.
The F-22 is still regarded as the world’s best fighter in operation.
In order to create a potent fleet of stealth interceptors in the twenty-first century, the US Air Force initially intended to purchase 750 F-22 fighters. Only 186 F-22s were delivered, though, before the production line was put into operation. The fighter model was deemed to be too expensive by US officials in 2012, leading to its complete discontinuation.
In order to replace ageing F-15s that are about to be retired, the US this month sent about a dozen F-22s from Alaska to its base in Okinawa, Japan, for a six-month rotational deployment.
Approximately $110 million, or half the price of an F-22, is spent on the construction of a J-20, according to a report published on a Chinese military social media site in 2018. However, the maintenance and training costs for stealth fighters are high for both Chinese and American models.
