This was the latest appearance of the “J-20”, which has been surrounded by a lot of mystery since it entered service in 2017. At a time when Chinese media blew up a surprise about the fighter nicknamed the “Mighty Dragon”; It is that Beijing plans in the future to equip it with “directed energy” weapons, in addition to controlling unmanned aircraft, as part of future plans to modernize them.
China had recently begun to modernize the J-20 engines in an attempt to bridge the gap with the American “F-22” aircraft, according to the Chinese newspaper SCMP, after the said fighter was initially equipped with a Russian-made engine, before China began producing “J-20S” equipped with the domestically produced WS-10C engine in 2020. At a time when Chinese engineers are developing a high-thrust engine, known as the WS-15.
The J-20 is China’s most powerful combat aircraft so far. Beijing is the only country with the United States that has been able to manufacture and use a fifth-generation stealth fighter.
The “Global Times” website mentioned the expectations of military experts, regarding the locally developed Chinese J-20 stealth fighter plane, which is nominated to be equipped in the future with directed energy weapons, in addition to early warning and control technologies for unmanned aircraft.
The Chinese military expert, Wang Mingyang, said, in statements carried by China Central Television, that the Chinese dragon “is expected to be equipped with more powerful radar systems, in addition to fire control systems,” and that “it is also possible that the fighter will be able to Unmanned flight.
The Chinese military indicated that “J-20″ can also conduct a coordinated operation with drones by driving them, or leading a squadron of drones in combat, expecting that the plane will get more powerful domestic engines in the future, which will enable it to carry more more payload and perform more types of tasks.”
Fifth generation
The mighty Chinese Dragon – as it is called – is a fifth-generation single-seat fighter. While reports said in November 2021 that a new two-seater version made its maiden flight. It operates in various weather conditions, and is developed by the Chinese company Chengdu, and entered service in 2017 for the first time. It is expected that the double seat will serve on these future technologies, which are expected to update the J-20.
According to Military Watch magazines, the fifth-generation Chengdu J-2 stealth fighter is currently one of only two aircraft of its generation in production, deployed at the squadron level, and has served in the People’s Liberation Army Air Force. Since March 2017. It is expected to enjoy a comfortable advantage over fourth-generation fighters in the event of a conflict, which make up the vast majority of those operated by potential enemies of China. It has significantly more advanced flight technologies than the F-22.
The website stated that Chinese defense manufacturers have publicly demonstrated laser defense systems, through which technologies are likely to affect the future laser defense system of the J-20. The integration of the new WS-15 engines, first seen in flight tests in January 2022, may serve as an important starting point for integrating these weapons by providing more power to the said aircraft.
Drones
And the Chinese magazine of Science Technology of the Ordnance Industry stated, in May 2021, that the electronic warfare system that gives the stealth fighter the ability to control a flock of unmanned aircraft, which will be one of the various future features that the new version of that stealth fighter is expected to provide, will give it a combat ability Enormous in laying various traps for the enemy in any confrontation, in addition to the capabilities of “jamming” and disrupting air defense systems.
The mentioned magazine revealed that the plan to develop the stealth fighter depends on equipping it with local defense systems – instead of the current Russian systems – within two years.