Chinese Air Force publicly unveils J-20 stealth fighter jet on the ground at AirShow China 2022.

AirShow China 2022 marks the first time Chengdu Aerospace publicly displays its J20 stealth fighter on the ground, providing the public with the opportunity to see the aircraft in all the pre- and post-flight operations.

Follow Air Recognition on Google News at this link

J-20 at Zhuhai airport during AirShow China 2022 (Picture source: Weibo)

As reported by Liu Xuanzun and Fan Wei in Zhuhai in Global Times, China will continue to upgrade its J-20 stealth fighter jet, including deploying the latest artificial intelligence (AI) and cognitive technologies, announced Yang Wei, chief designer of J-20, at a press conference held by the state-owned Aviation Industry Corp of China (AVIC) on Monday in Zhuhai, South China's Guangdong Province, a day ahead of the start of the Airshow China 2022.

The Chengdu J-20, also known as Mighty Dragon, is a twinjet all-weather stealth fighter aircraft developed by China's Chengdu Aerospace Corporation for the People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF). The J-20 is designed as an air superiority fighter with precision strike capability; it descends from the J-XX program of the 1990s. The aircraft made its maiden flight on 11 January 2011 and was officially revealed at the 2016 China International Aviation & Aerospace Exhibition. The aircraft entered service in March 2017 and began its combat training phase in September 2017. The first J-20 combat unit was formed in February 2018. The J-20 is the world's third operational fifth-generation stealth fighter aircraft after the F-22 and F-35.

The development strategy of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Air Force used to be homeland defense, but now it has become air-space integration with both attack and defense capabilities, Yang Wei, chief designer of J-20, said. The J-20 has been deployed in all the eastern, western, southern, northern and central parts of China, and the combat capability, number and scope of the J-20 have all seen significant increases, according to Yang.

"Four J-20s can form a formation, which is a small system; a J-20 can team up with a J-16 and a J-10C in another small system. Recent news reports also suggested that the J-20 can fly together with drones, which is also a system", Yang said, echoed by Liu Xuanzun and Fan Wei. The J-20 will also closely integrate into ground, sea, air and space systems to play its optimal role in the whole system, and this includes the deployment of the latest AI and cognitive technologies, the chief designer said.

J-20 demonstrated at Changchun airshow 2022  (Picture source: Wikipedia)