There may be more unknown details of relevance to the Chinese J-20 5th-generation stealth fighter than there are known specifics, yet the People’s Liberation Army has been writing about its J-20 in several respects for many years now, so there are a handful of key pertinent observations to be made regarding the extent of the threat it may pose.
Chinese J-20 Vs. US Air Force F-22
Upon initial glance, the stealthy looking airframe has been widely seen by US Congressional reports and Pentagon essays as what could be called a “transparent” rip-off of US 5th-gen stealth technology. This possibility, and the visible similarities in stealth configuration between the J-20 and F-35 and F-22 have been cited in several Pentagon reports, all as part of a long-standing and publicly documented concern about Chinese theft of US military technology.
The J-20 does look stealthy, as it has a standard blended-wing-body stealth shape, rounded fuselage, few if any protruding structures likely to generate a return radar signature and what appears to be an internal weapons bay devoid of external pylons. While many have drawn comparisons between the J-20 and F-35, the J-20s apparent dual-engine configuration looks a bit F-22-like. Also, the J-20s dual wing configuration looks a bit different than existing F-22 or F-35 designs, as its dual-wing fuselage is more elongated and larger than US 5th-gen aircraft.
Video Above: Air Dominance and Air Force Innovation
While available specs published by Aerocorner do say the J-20 is nearly five meters longer than the F-22, the largest differences appear to be maximum take-off payload and fuel capacity. Aerocorner lists the length of the J-20 at 23 meters, compared to 18.9 meters for the F-22. Range is also dramatically different as well, as additional size and fuel-carrying capacity results in a massive range disparity; Aerocorner reports that the J-20 flies with a 4,166 gallon fuel tank capacity compared with 2,400 for the F-22.
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This disparity results in a massive range difference, as the J-20 is listed as having a range nearly 3,000 km farther than the F-22. The spec sheet says the J-20 can travel to ranges of 5,926km, a range which puts Taiwan well within reach of mainland China, whereas the F-22 is slated as having a range of 2,963km. However, with two non-stealthy external fuel tank, an F-22 can travel more than 1,864 miles, yet a plane with this configuration will be much less capable and fast and an air-to-air fighter. By comparison, the maximum range of a J-20 is listed at 1,100, meaning it too might fly much farther with additional fuel tanks which compromise dogfighting ability and speed.
As a longer, dual-winged stealth fighter, the J-20 is likely much less maneuverable than an F-22 and therefore less likely to challenge the Raptor for air supremacy in air-to-air combat. However, once over a target area, the J-20 appears to have a massively larger payload capacity to deliver ordnance, one reason why the J-20 is much slower than the high-speed F-22; the specs list the speeds as 1,963knots for the F-22 and 1,333knots for the J-20.
Payload capacity is also quite different, as the J-20 can reportedly take off with 27,998 pounds of internal and external weaponry, whereas the F-22 can take of with a fraction of that at 3,915 pounds. This would suggest that a lighter, faster, air-to-air combat aircraft such as the F-22 would be well positioned to destroy a J-20 in the air with relative speed and efficiency, depending upon the range and fidelity of weapons sensors, precision guidance and targeting technology.
Even the F-35, a multi-role fighter with more payload than an F-22 is reported to operate with a take-off payload of 18,000 pounds of internal and external weapons. This means a J-20 can operate with longer dwell time above target areas, drop a much higher percentage of bombs on any one given mission and certainly reach thousands of kilometers further in terms of range, unless an F-22 flies with non-stealthy external fuel tanks.
Propulsion comparisons also appear to heavily favor the F-22, however Chinese-backed newspapers report that the J-20 is now built with a first-of-its-kind WS-15 domestically produced engine. It may not be clear how much this impacts performance, yet it seems unlikely a J-20 could rival an F-22 in the air. It may not be well suited to challenge and F-35 either, although a true F-35 & F-22 comparison with the J-20 may depend upon lesser known variables such as the range and accuracy of its sensing, targeting and weapons envelope.
For instance, the F-35 is known to fly with sensors enabling it to see and destroy enemy fighter aircraft at unprecedented stand-off distances. Therefore, should the J-20 be unable to match this, then it would be quite vulnerable to an F-35 or F-22, regardless of its maneuverability and weaponry. Should a J-20 be seen before it can detect an F-22 or F-35, other variables will certainly matter less. Secondly, the precision-guidance, seeking or course-correcting accuracy of air-to-air weapons would likely be a deciding factor as well. Finally, all of this likely relies upon the aircraft’s ability to “network” with other nodes across multiple domains and operate with high-s
peed, potentially AI-enabled computing and mission systems. The answer regarding which aircraft would ultimately be superior may reside in answers to these lesser known variables.
What this might suggest is that the US Air Force and Navy would be well served to find and destroy J-20s in the air before they are over target areas where they might be positioned to use a large bomb-dropping payload capacity to inflict damage or overwhelm air defenses with numerous attacks per single aircraft.
F-22: Can it still be dominant like in years past or is it becoming obsolete
The Air Force’s famous F-22 Raptor may have first taken to the skies 25 years ago in 1997, the 5th-generation, stealthy, high-speed air-supremacy jet is often referred to as the most dominant air superiority platform to exist. This idea, which could be described in terms of a prevailing consensus, is why the service has for many years been modernizing and upgrading the fighter with the intent of flying the jet to 2060.
Certainly the emerging Pentagon 6th-generation aircraft, which is now flying years ahead of schedule but not visible to the public, is likely intended to be superior to the F-22 in most respects, yet that does not mean the Air Force plans to retire the aircraft anytime soon. The reasons for this are clear, it does not appear likely, according to most expert assessments, that the F-22 can truly be rivaled by any other aircraft in the world when it comes to speed, maneuverability and overall air-to-air superiority. As part of this, the Air Force and Lockheed Martin have in recent years been immersed in a series of extensive high-tech upgrades to the Raptor which improve its weapons, speed, targeting, range, radar and stealth properties. For example, within the last five years, Lockheed Martin has been working with the Air Force on a fleet-wide software upgraded called 3.2b which massively improved the jets computing, sensing and weapons guidance technologies. In particular, the now integrated upgrade vastly improved the range, course-guidance technology and precision of the AIM-9X and AIM-120D air-to-air weapons.
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The Lockheed-Air Force weapons upgrade has been integrating a Block II AIM-9X variant with a new redesigned fuze and digital ignition safety device. This not only improves ground handling but also upgrades the electronics to include “lock-on-after-launch” capability using a new datalink to ensure beyond line of sight targeting, Raytheon data explains.
The AIM-9X uses an imaging infrared focal plane array go give it its “off-boresight” targeting ability. Utilizing a Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing System, or a new generation of pilot sights, a pilot can control the AIM-9X missile by simply looking at a target. The 3.2b upgrade also improves the AIM-120D, a beyond visual range Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM), designed for all weather day-and-night attacks; it is a “fire and forget” missile with active transmit radar guidance, Raytheon data states. The AIM-120D is built with upgrades to previous AMRAAM missiles by increasing attack range, GPS navigation, inertial measurement units and a two-way data link, Raytheon statements explain.
Interestingly, while initially conceived of as a high-speed air supremacy platform, the F-22 has in recent years taken on additional operational functions as well such as “close air support,” advanced sensing and flying as an “aerial quarterback” linking targeting detail and real-time data with other air and ground assets such as 4th-gen aircraft, command centers and even drones. As part of this effort, the Air Force has in recent years been in the process of engineering a “two-way” data link between the F-22 and F-35, so that critical combat detail can be exchanged “both ways” between the two 5th-gen aircraft. This is quite significant, as earlier applications of LINK 16 only allowed one-way data sharing. Also, industry developers such as Northrop Grumman have engineered the 550 Freedom radio which uses advanced frequency technology to link F-22s with F-35s without compromising stealth mode.
The F-22 had its combat debut over Iraq against ISIS in 2014, a development which verified the Close-Air-Support capability of the jet. CAS capability would make sense for the F-22, given its speed and maneuverability, as it might be well positioned to track and attack ground targets with advanced, precision-guided air-to-ground weapons. Although the exact extent to which an F-22 could absorb small arms fire may not be well known, the aircraft would likely use speed, targeting and maneuverability to exact lethality in a high-threat environment. The F-22 could use its “supercruise” technology wherein it reached Mach speeds without needing afterburner. This lengthens high-speed operations and improves vectoring for both air-to-ground and air-to-air engagements.
Several years ago, the successful performance of the F-22, fortified by years of technological upgrades, inspired a Pentagon and Congressional discussion about “re-starting” the production line, given that the original fleet plan was massively truncated following the end of the Cold War. While there are roughly 169 or so current F-22s, the original plan for the fleet was much larger. Following lengthy discussion several years ago, DoD and Congressional decision-makers decided to hold off on restarting F-22 production. This may have in large measure been due to the fact that early conceptual work had already begun on what is now the airborne Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) 6th-generation stealth fighter.
Kris Osborn is the Military Affairs Editor of 19 FortyFive and President of Warrior Maven – Center for Military Modernization. Osborn previously served at the Pentagon as a Highly Qualified Expert with the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army—Acquisition, Logistics & Technology. Osborn has also worked as an anchor and on-air military specialist at national TV networks. He has appeared as a guest military expert on Fox News, MSNBC, The Military Channel, and The History Channel. He also has a Masters Degree in Comparative Literature from Columbia University.
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