China Could Field 1,000 J-20 Stealth Fighters by 2030
China may already operate over 300 J-20 fighters, with production on track to deliver around 1,000 fifth-generation jets by 2030, The War Zone reports.
The Chinese People’s Liberation Army Air Force may already operate more than 300 fifth-generation J-20 fighters, according to analysts at the US publication The War Zone.
The aircraft made its first flight in 2011 and entered service in 2017. It has since become one of the most important combat aircraft in China’s air force, combining capabilities previously unavailable to the PLA Air Force with production on an unexpectedly large scale.
The War Zone identified the introduction of Chinese-made engines on serial-production aircraft as a major turning point in the program. These powerplants replaced the Russian engines used on earlier versions of the fighter.
The analysts also highlighted the two-seat J-20 variant. They described its appearance as a significant development for Chinese combat aviation, since such a configuration remains uncommon among fifth-generation fighters.
Experts reportedly identified an aircraft last autumn that appeared to be the 300th J-20 produced. Its serial number indicated that it belonged to the tenth production batch.
The publication estimates that, if the current manufacturing pace continues, the PLA Air Force could receive around 1,000 J-20 fighters of various versions by 2030.