Chinese Stealth Plane J-20 Revealed

Chinese Stealth Plane J-20 Revealed(asb.tv)

13 points by psogle 15 years ago | 11 comments

SkyMarshal 15 years ago |

The characteristic stealth shapes and angles are clearly based on the F22. Their cyber-espionage appears to be paying off.

'The J-20 has a canard delta layout (like Chengdu’s J-10) with two canted, all-moving vertical stabilizers (like the T-50) and smaller canted ventral fins. The stealth body shaping is similar to that of the F-22. The flat body sides are aligned with the canted tails, the wing-body junction is clean, and there is a sharp chine line around the forward fuselage. The cant angles are greater than they are on the Lockheed Martin F-35, and the frameless canopy is similar to that of the F-22.'

http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/jsp_includes/articlePrint.jsp...

prewett 15 years ago | |

Nothing about the fact that the J-20 looks like the F-22 implies cyber-espionage. If I were trying to build a stealth fighter, the first thing I'd do is look at pictures of it and make something that looks similar. (Since aviation week, or whoever, was able to tell what the angles of the J-20 are, I assume China would have no problem figuring out the shape of the F-22 from the numerous pictures available.) Even if you just knew the idea of shaping the plane to deflect radar signals, you'd probably end up with something similar. I expect that the really important stuff is in things not in the pictures: materials to use, paint to use, paints not to use, how to make non-radar-reflective joints/weapons/mounts, how to get good aerodynamics with all those sharp edges, etc.

DanHulton 15 years ago | | |

I just finished reading Skunk Works, and actually the biggest contributor to stealth technology IS the angles and the shape. The materials definitely help (or hinder, if you get them wrong), but thing #1 is having the right shape.

Aerodynamics relies heavily on having a good computer-assisted flight system, since stealth shapes tend not to be aerodynamic.

burgerbrain 15 years ago | |

Yes, but will it blend? errr, I mean will it actually be invisible to SAM batteries?

Copying the general shapes and design aren't going to get you very far if you don't get the details right, or work out your own. My guess is they actually did put a good deal of engineering into this.

SkyMarshal 15 years ago | | |

Amusingly, it looks like the front is stealthy but the exhaust isn't. I guess China only cares that their pilots deliver their payload, and not as much whether they come home.

Seriously though, sounds like the plane will be testing for about 5 more years, so they've got time to figure out low-observable exhaust configurations.

dawgr 15 years ago | |

Wow, that's sad. After all the money that was spent on the F-22.

stcredzero 15 years ago | | |

I get the impression that it's rather larger than the F-22.

kznewman 15 years ago |

I like the multiple images here but for some analysis I saw this a couple days ago...

http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/jsp_includes/articlePrint.jsp...

2c, I think the fixation on 4th-Gen, 5th-Gen or whatever is distracting. How fast, how far, How much would be more interesting questions.

SlipperySlope 15 years ago |

One has to wonder that by the time manned stealth air-superiority fighters are deployed, whether they will be operationally inferior to, and greatly outnumbered by, adversary air-superiority fighter UAVs.

What a waste of resources on behalf of pilot-dominated air forces.

mattiask 15 years ago |

also known as "No Ping"