Archive for ‘J-20 stealth fighters’

18/10/2019

Stealth fighters perform in PLA air force 70th anniversary celebrations

CHINA-JILIN-CHANGCHUN-J-20-Y-20-FLIGHT DEMONSTRATION (CN)

J-20 stealth fighters make a flight demonstration during an activity celebrating the 70th founding anniversary of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) air force in Changchun, capital of northeast China’s Jilin Province, Oct. 17, 2019. It’s the first time that J-20 stealth fighters and Y-20 transport aircrafts make a flight demonstration at the northeastern China during the activity. (Xinhua/Lin Hong)

CHANGCHUN, Oct. 17 (Xinhua) — China’s J-20 stealth fighters Thursday joined an air show held to celebrate the 70th founding anniversary of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) air force.

The airshow in Changchun, capital of northeast China’s Jilin Province, was kicked off by three parachutists carrying the national flag, the flag of the PLA and the flag of the PLA air force, respectively.

The J-20 stealth fighters, Y-20 large transport aircraft, J-16 fighters and the new training plane JL-10 treated the audience to a performance of demonstration flights.

Two J-11BS, China’s third-generation fighters, carried out a simulated air battle, and China’s airborne troops showcased anti-terrorist operations to display the air force’s achievements in real combat training.

Three aerobatic teams of the PLA air force also performed aerobatic flights, and the air force selected 71 pieces of equipment for static display in the five-day air show.

Source: Xinhua

22/09/2019

Chinese fighter jets seen in skies over Beijing as preparations for National Day parade step up

  • October 1 event is intended to be a showcase for military’s progress under Xi Jinping, with J-20 stealth fighters set to take pride of place
  • Domestically developed weapons are main focus of event despite long-standing problems in building  aircraft engines
Chinese J-10 jets perform at the Dubai air show in 2017. Photo: AFP
Chinese J-10 jets perform at the Dubai air show in 2017. Photo: AFP

China has stepped up intensive rehearsals for the upcoming National Day parade, which military insiders say is designed to showcase the achievements of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s modernisation drive.

The parade on October 1 will mark the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic and will focus on weapons developed since Xi came to power in late 2012, despite long-standing problems in aircraft engine development.

Video clips circulating on mainland social media in recent days have shown at least seven types of aircraft – including the KJ-2000 airborne early warning and control aircraft and J-10 and J-11B fighter jets – taking part in rehearsals over the countryside  around Beijing.

A military insider said the country’s first stealth fighter jet, the J-20, had been rehearsing over the western suburbs of the capital since April.

“There will be up to seven J-20 displayed in the military parade, which is the largest formation since its formal deployment to the Chinese air force in 2017,” the military insider said.

“The J-20 has entered mass production. So far at least 70 J-20s have been made, even though all of them are still equipped with Russian AL-31 engines.”

Earlier this month, the People’s Liberation Army Air Force released a video of a flight of seven J-20s, the largest formation seen so far, suggesting that the fifth-generation warplane has gone into mass production as an arms race with the United States mounts in the region.

The second-largest J-20 formation was shown in an air force video for PLA Day on August 1, when five of the jets were shown.

China has been forced to deploy the J-20 ahead of its schedule since the US has increased the deployment of its fifth-generation stealth fighter jets like the F-22 and F-35s in the Asia-Pacific region.

The US and its allies, including Japan and South Korea, will have more than 200 F-35s by 2025, which means China also needs a similar number of stealth fighters.

To meet demand, China has been working on the development of a purpose-built thrust engine for its stealth fighter since the early 2000s, but has yet to achieve international quality control standards due to problems that include single-crystal turbine blade technology.

China’s air force spreads its wings in 70th anniversary video

Hong Kong-based military commentator Song Zhongping said aircraft engine development had been a long-standing shortcoming but it would not affect the practical fighting capacity of the J-20, which currently uses Russian engines.

“The J-20 hasn’t used the domestic engines so far because it wants a better one, and it still has time,” Song said.

“Other [Chinese-developed] warplanes like the J-10, J-11 and multipurpose attack helicopters are all modified and advanced types, indicating comprehensive achievements amid China’s military modernisation over the past years.”

A Chinese J-20 stealth fighter has entered mass production. Photo: EPA-EFE
A Chinese J-20 stealth fighter has entered mass production. Photo: EPA-EFE

Besides the domestically developed aircraft, Beijing is going to display its strategic nuclear missiles, such as the DF-41 intercontinental ballistic missile and the JL-2 submarine-launched ballistic missile, as centrepieces of its National Day military parade, according to a Beijing-based military source.

Xi, who also chairs the powerful Central Military Commission, inspected the country’s biggest military parade at the Zhurihe Combined Tactics Training Base in Inner Mongolia in 2017 to celebrate the 90th anniversary of the PLA, but the source said the weapons displayed in Zhurihe had been developed under the leadership of Xi’s predecessor, Hu Jintao.

“Xi needs to highlight his personal achievements in his era, that’s why this year’s parade has political aims more than military significance,” the source said.

The source also highlighted the significance of the People’s Republic marking its 70th anniversary because the Soviet Union did not survive for that length of time.

“Xi is attempting to tell the outside world that Chinese communist regime has been consolidated under his leadership.”

Source: SCMP

12/09/2019

Chinese air force deploys English and aerobatics in video rallying cry

  • Military stresses combat readiness and war mentality in production released just weeks before 70th anniversary of the People’s Republic
China’s air force shows a more assertive side in a new propaganda video. Photo: Handout
China’s air force shows a more assertive side in a new propaganda video. Photo: Handout

The Chinese air force has ramped up its combat rhetoric in its latest propaganda video, with pilots warning enemies in English and top brass stressing the need for crisis mode.

The four-minute video was posted on the Ministry of National Defence’s website on Wednesday and begins with two J-20 stealth fighters taking off from an unidentified airbase.

At least three missile-carrying J-11 jets are then shown make low passes and various aerobatics at sea.

After that, a pilot shouts in English: “This is the PLA Air Force speaking. You are about to enter Chinese airspace. Leave immediately. Leave immediately.”

The video also features members of an elite brigade called the “Eagles of Liaoning province”, a frequent winner of PLA Air Force competitions.
PLA Air Force formation ‘a sign of stealth fighter mass production’ in China

Brigade member Bai Long, a J-20 fighter pilot, says the team have a higher calling.

“Winning over enemies is more important than winning competitions,” Bai says.

Also featured is Wang Hai, a 93-year-old combat veteran from the Korean war, who encourages air force personnel to fear nothing during combat.

“You cannot do anything if you are not brave enough. You can’t be a pilot if you fear death,” Wang says.

Wang Yongtong, a brigade commander, is also quoted as saying that the Chinese air force is using war games to strengthen its combat readiness.

“We will meticulously prepare for war and improve our combat capacity to resolutely safeguard national sovereignty, security and interests,” he says.

The video’s release comes just a few weeks before China marks the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic with a massive military parade showcasing its military weapons.

It also underlines China’s increasingly assertive efforts to defend its interests.

On Wednesday, China hit out at Canada for sending a warship to traverse the Taiwan Strait.

And in late July, South Korea claimed that two Chinese warplanes entered South Korea’s air defence identification zone, a claimed denied by the Chinese foreign ministry.

And in late January, a Chinese surveillance plane crossed the Sea of Japan and the East China Sea via the Tsushima Strait, prompting the Japanese air self-defense force to scramble fighter jets.

Source: SCMP

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