Chinese stealth fighter aircraft are now active in all five theatre commands
Chinese stealth fighter aircraft are now active in all five theatre commands
Share:

Beijing: According to an Air Force spokesperson, China's military is currently using its indigenous stealth fighter jets in all five theater commands in the country.

According to Senior Colonel Shane Jinke on Thursday, "J-20 fifth-generation fighter aircraft operating in East, South, West, North and Central [theatre command] are increasingly being used by the military, and further Flying ahead."

Also Read: Future Italian PM Meloni is prepared to sour relations with China

At a press conference to promote the China International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition to be held in Zhuhai in November, Shen said the warplane was being deployed in the East China Sea, the South China Sea and the Taiwan Strait.

The J-20 "Mighty Dragon", which made its first flight in 2011, was seen as a representation of China's efforts to modernize the People's Liberation Army (PLA). With the aircraft's launch, China overtook the United States as the second country to fly a stealth fighter with supersonic cruising speed.

The design of the J-20 is similar to that of the Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor of the US Air Force.
According to Shen, the J-20, J-16, B-6K bomber, and YY-20 [tanker aircraft] were flown proudly in the Taiwan Strait and improved our ability to defend territorial integrity and national sovereignty.

Following US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taiwan in August, Beijing conducted an unprecedented live-fire military exercise in the vicinity of the island.
The exercises amounted to a partial blockade of the island as they often crossed the de facto border in the Taiwan Strait and involved missiles.

Beijing sees Taiwan, which is self-governing, as a separate province that must be subdued by force, if necessary. Although most nations do not recognize Taiwan's independence, some, such as the US, are against the use of force to change the current situation.

Also Read: Kindle-like e-reader service is discontinued by Tencent's China Literature

The J-20 is also being modified to have two seats so that it can perform drone missions and more complex electronic warfare missions.

Shen also praised the Y-20 heavy transport aircraft for delivering missiles to Serbia and providing aid to Pakistan and Tonga.

It appears that the Chinese-made WS-20 turbofan engine is being used by transport aircraft, a change from its former reliance on Russian-made engines. The aircraft's earlier Chinese engines did not give it enough range.

Also Read: India deploys rockets and cannons on China border, preparations started to respond

Additionally, China is building a new stealth fighter based on the FC-31 fighter, also known as the "J-35" or "J-XY", manufactured by AVIC Shenyang Aircraft Company. If a fighter is not commissioned by the PLA, they do not receive the J prefix.

Join NewsTrack Whatsapp group
Related News