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Chengdu J-20 5th Generation Aircraft News & Discussions


China ramps up J-20 stealth fighter production after domestic engine switch


The maker of the J-20, China's most advanced stealth fighter jet, revealed that it recently broke records in terms of aircraft delivery due to high demand, with experts saying on Sunday that the J-20 has entered a mass production phase after it solved the last missing piece of the puzzle, the domestically developed WS-10 engine.

Since the start of the fourth quarter, Chengdu Aircraft Industrial Group Co Ltd under the state-owned Aviation Industry Corporation of China has been facing challenging research and development, production and delivery missions, as multiple users were waiting to receive delivery of many aircraft, the company said in a statement released over the weekend on its social media account.

In this period, the company completed several key test flight missions, and indexes related to aircraft delivery have broken record highs, the statement said.

Out of nine photos attached to the statement, seven depict test flights of the J-20, one shows a test flight of the J-10, and one shows the work of staff members.

This could be an indication that the production of the J-20 is being ramped up, Fu Qianshao, a Chinese military aviation expert, told the Global Times on Sunday.

The Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Air Force displayed J-20s equipped with domestically developed engines at Airshow China 2021.

The switch to domestically made WS-10 engines from imported ones has made mass production possible, Fu said, noting that other systems on the J-20, including the avionics system, radar system and weapons systems, were already domestically developed.

Now that there is no limitation caused by the import of engines, and the homemade WS-10 engine has been tested on other aircraft like the J-10, J-11 and J-16, the J-20 is in a position to start mass production, Fu said.

Responding to an inquiry from the Global Times concerning the production capacity of the J-20 at a press conference at Airshow China in late September, Wang Haitao, deputy designer of the aircraft, said that China's aviation industry can satisfy any level of demand from the PLA Air Force.

It is good to see the industry is busy, because this means the J-20 has started entering service in large numbers, Fu said.

"In a short time, we will be able to see J-20s operated by all eastern, southern, western, northern and central theater commands, and become the main force to safeguard China's sovereignty and territorial airspace security," Fu predicted.

For the next step, the J-20 will continue to evolve, for example, by switching to use more advanced engines, Fu said
 
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Finally again a clearer image of the J-20AS (?) twin-seater prototype no. 2031 and it got its grey camouflage in the meantime.
Also noteworthy, now it is clear that like all J-20A single seaters it is powered by WS-10C engines.

(Image via @航空EXIA from Weibo)

J-20AS 2031 grey - 20211229.jpg
J-20AS 2031 grey - 20211229+.jpg
 

China ramps up J-20 stealth fighter production after domestic engine switch

The maker of the J-20, China's most advanced stealth fighter jet, revealed that it recently broke records in terms of aircraft delivery due to high demand, with experts saying on Sunday that the J-20 has entered a mass production phase after it solved the last missing piece of the puzzle, the domestically developed WS-10 engine.

Since the start of the fourth quarter, Chengdu Aircraft Industrial Group Co Ltd under the state-owned Aviation Industry Corporation of China has been facing challenging research and development, production and delivery missions, as multiple users were waiting to receive delivery of many aircraft, the company said in a statement released over the weekend on its social media account.

In this period, the company completed several key test flight missions, and indexes related to aircraft delivery have broken record highs, the statement said.

Out of nine photos attached to the statement, seven depict test flights of the J-20, one shows a test flight of the J-10, and one shows the work of staff members.

This could be an indication that the production of the J-20 is being ramped up, Fu Qianshao, a Chinese military aviation expert, told the Global Times on Sunday.

The Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Air Force displayed J-20s equipped with domestically developed engines at Airshow China 2021.

The switch to domestically made WS-10 engines from imported ones has made mass production possible, Fu said, noting that other systems on the J-20, including the avionics system, radar system and weapons systems, were already domestically developed.

Now that there is no limitation caused by the import of engines, and the homemade WS-10 engine has been tested on other aircraft like the J-10, J-11 and J-16, the J-20 is in a position to start mass production, Fu said.

Responding to an inquiry from the Global Times concerning the production capacity of the J-20 at a press conference at Airshow China in late September, Wang Haitao, deputy designer of the aircraft, said that China's aviation industry can satisfy any level of demand from the PLA Air Force.

It is good to see the industry is busy, because this means the J-20 has started entering service in large numbers, Fu said.

"In a short time, we will be able to see J-20s operated by all eastern, southern, western, northern and central theater commands, and become the main force to safeguard China's sovereignty and territorial airspace security," Fu predicted.

For the next step, the J-20 will continue to evolve, for example, by switching to use more advanced engines, Fu said
Any chance in near future to get some numbers after the mass production with indigenous engine?
 
Any chance in near future to get some numbers after the mass production with indigenous engine?

Well the US is planning for 2500 F-35s fighters ! So China would need to come up with respectable numbers soon. So I wouldn't be surprised if China starts producing these like hot potatoes.
 
Well the US is planning for 2500 F-35s fighters ! So China would need to come up with respectable numbers soon. So I wouldn't be surprised if China starts producing these like hot potatoes.

Thanks for the reply.
Actually my Question was, we, Pakistan, any chance to get these birds in PAF after such mass production.
I also heard that ex chief got China clearance to export it to Pakistan (because these are not available for export to any country in the world at the moment)
 
Thanks for the reply.
Actually my Question was, we, Pakistan, any chance to get these birds in PAF after such mass production.
I also heard that ex chief got China clearance to export it to Pakistan (because these are not available for export to any country in the world at the moment)
I feel that it's unlikely, since in the chance that an adversary, likely India, if any, manages to take down a J-20 jet or detect it (somehow) during a conflict, it could ruin China's military technological credibility in the eyes of the world.

I think maybe we could get the J-35 (FC-31), which is another 5th generation jet being produced by a Chinese company. In the case of this being taken down, it still leaves a question mark on the J-20 due to it's export ban, which allows a sense of mystery on its true capabilities so it wouldn't be as easy to discredit it.

I didn't really think this through much though, but what does everyone else think?
 
Thanks for the reply.
Actually my Question was, we, Pakistan, any chance to get these birds in PAF after such mass production.
I also heard that ex chief got China clearance to export it to Pakistan (because these are not available for export to any country in the world at the moment)

It is only a matter of time depending on geopolitical situation. If US can give F-35s to its allies then so can China give J-20s.
 

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