China's J - 20 Stealth Fighter Jet: Inside tale
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BEIJING - China's J 20 is a single seat steath fighter jet for air-to-air, air-to-ground combat roles with supersonic cruise speed and integrated avionics which was test flown for the first time on January 11, 2011.
The jet, developed and manufactured by Chengdu Aircraft Industry Group (CAIG), is 20.3-20.5 metres long, has a height of 4.45 metres and its wingspan is 12.88-13.50 metres. The maximum take-off weight is 34,000-37,000 kg. The fighter's range is about 1,200 kilometres which can be increased up to 2,700 kilometres with external fuel tanks.
While the J-20 is currently powered by the Russian AL-31 engines, China is working in a new and more powerful WS-15 (Emei) afterburning turbofan engine for the fighter for sustained supersonic speed. The aircraft can fly at a maximum speed of 2,100 kilometres per hour (about 1.8 mach) and its climbing rate is 304 metres per second.
There are two lateral bays with four hardpoints each for air-to-air missiles <link> while the fuselage has a larger bay under it for carrying missiles and other weapons. It also has an internal cannon. It is equipped with an AESA radar along with a chin-mounted infrared/electro-optic search and track sensor.
The Chinese also claim that the J-20 has a passive electro-optical detection system which gives the pilot 360° coverage. The fighter, which has a glass cockpit with a bubble-shaped canopy, can access real-time data from Chinese military satellites, Divine Eagle anti-stealth Unmanned Aerial Vehicles and other airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) systems.
The J-20 cockpit has two liquid crystal displays (LCD) and a head-up display (HUD). The J-20 can be operated through the traditional hands-on throttle and stick (HOTAS) system.