China Not To Export J-20 Stealth Fighter: Media Reports

China will not export J-20, its first fifth generation stealth fighter, Chinese Media quoted US website Strategy Page as reporting.

As Chinese Chengdu Aircraft Company has produced J-10 and JF-17 fighters for exports, the decision to keep J-20 for China alone may come as a disappointment to the manufacturer. No reasons have been given for the decision not to export the aircraft.by either Chinese media or Strategy Page.

Chengdu has so far produced six prototypes of J-20 with subsequent modifications. The last two prototypes have been equipped with active electronic scanned array radars, Strategy page reported.

If the reports are to be believed, Pentagon will be happy to hear it. Pentagon has always considered J-20 and J-31 as a threat for F-35 fighter jet exports.

“Pentagon officials continue to compare DOD’s progress (on the F-35) with that of the Chinese J-20 and J-31 stealth aircraft and their other capabilities”, a US Department of Defense release issued on June 13, 2014 said.

The J-20 made its first flight earlier in March marking a major milestone for the Chinese stealth aircraft program. Resembling the F-22 raptor, the J-20 has used Russian-made AL-31F and Chinese WS-10 engines. A new, purpose-built engine for the J-20 is reportedly in development.

The aircraft features a glass cockpit, with two main large color liquid crystal displays (LCD) situated side-by-side and three smaller auxiliary displays, and a wide-angle holographic head-up display (HUD).

China has accelerated the development of its two stealth aircraft projects, the J-20 “Mighty Dragon” made by the Chengdu Aircraft Company (CAC) and the J-31 “Falcon Eagle” made by the Shenyang Aircraft Corporation (SAC) J-31 Falcon Eagle. Western media claims that both the Chinese stealth fighters bear a “suspicious resemblance” to the US F-22 and F-35 projects leading to accusations of design theft.

China has been developing the more powerful WS-15 engine for two decades but no date for when the engine will be fitted to the J-20 fighter has been given.