J-20S Stealth Fighter Makes Its ‘Debut’ In China
Key Points and Summary – China’s recent Victory Day parade showcased significant military advancements, headlined by the public debut of the J-20S, the world’s first twin-seat stealth fighter.
This new variant of the J-20 Mighty Dragon is designed as a networked warfare command node, with the second operator dedicated to coordinating drone swarms, managing electronic warfare, and directing long-range missiles.
Featuring upgrades like the WS-15 engine for supercruise capabilities and advanced sensors comparable to the U.S. F-35, the J-20S represents a credible challenge to American air superiority.
The parade also featured the upgraded single-seat J-20A, signaling China’s rapid doctrinal shift.
The J-20S Stealth Fighter Finally Arrives
China’s September 3 Victory Day parade was its biggest ever, with its full nuclear weapons arsenal revealed as a triad for the first time, and even an unnamed stealth fighter drone making its first appearance at the event. What was ostensibly a celebration of the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War in Asia was really a show of force for China, and among the impressive hardware displayed for the first time was the J-20S – a world-first twin seater stealth jet.
A full suite of fighter jets were seen during the parade, including the J-16D and J-35A, but the emergence of the J-20S and J-20A were particularly notable. The J-20S is a variant of China’s J-20 Mighty Dragon – a twin-engine all-weather stealth fighter developed by the Chengdu Aircraft Corporation.
The J-20 first flew in 2011 and entered service in March 2017, and has since become one of the People’s Liberation Army Air Force’s most formidable air superiority fighters. The J-20S, however, features a number of significant upgrades that allow it to compete with American stealth fighters like the F-22 and F-35.
Technical Specifications
A taxiing prototype of the J-20S was first seen in October 2021 near Chengdu’s testing facilities. The prototype revealed to the world that China had developed the world’s first twin-seat stealth fighter.
Twin-seat aircraft designs have traditionally been seen in aircraft designed for long-distance flight, allowing pilots to share the responsibility of navigating over extended periods of time. But the J-20S was designed to do more than that; its twin-seat design allows a secondary pilot to coordinate attacks, provide support on reconnaissance missions, or operate with “loyal wingman” drone systems.
The J-20S is, in this sense, a forward-looking design that bridges old strategies – like the deployment of manned stealth fighters – with new unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV) tactics. In effect, the J-20S is designed to be a command node for networked warfare, whereby the second operator can coordinate warms of drones and direct beyond-visual-range (BVR) missile engagements – as well as manage electronic warfare payloads.
China J-20A Fighter in the Sky. Image Credit: Creative Commons.
The J-20S also features incremental, but significant, refinements to its hardware. For example, the under-nose electro-optical targeting system (EOTS) provides 360-degree coverage in the same vein as the U.S.-made F-35, which utilizes a Distributed Aperture System (DAS).
Like the F-35, the J-20S is capable of processing data obtained by its onboard sensors, including radar, visuals, and more, to create a coherent and detailed picture of the battlefield for pilots and operators.
Reports suggest that the J-20S also incorporates the WS-15 turbofan engine, enabling supercruise – a sustained supersonic flight without afterburner – and expanding combat radius.
For Washington, it’s a significant upgrade and an aircraft worth watching. The J-20S narrows the qualitative gap once enjoyed by American fifth-generation fleets, giving China a stealth aircraft with onboard systems that can direct drones and manage long-range missiles – presenting a credible challenge to American air dominance.
Upgraded J-20A Also Makes Appearance
The J-20A also appeared at the parade this week. The aircraft, an upgraded version of the existing J-20 stealth fighter, appeared to feature modifications around the cockpit area. Analysts noted that the upgraded J-20A features improved air resistance, making it better suited for supersonic flight, as well as a larger fuselage that could allow for more modern onboard hardware to be installed.
Military analyst Zhang Zuefeng noted that the emergence of an upgraded J-20A indicates that the platform has undergone “significant” upgrades.
“Generally speaking, the upgrade from the J-20 to the J-20A with a new designation means that the J-20 has undergone significant upgrades, and various systems of the J-20 may have significant improvements,” Zhang said.
In July, photographs of the J-20A stealth fighter in flight emerged online – prompting speculation at the time about the likelihood of the aircraft being displayed at the Victory Day parade. A photographer who took the image claimed that the flyover was part of a rehearsal for the September parade.
It followed a series of other images that were shared online, including one that quickly went viral in September, 2024. The image showed a prototype aircraft with the serial number 2052 on a runway at an unknown location. Media outlets speculated at the time that the aircraft was snapped at the primary test airfield used by Chengdu, the aircraft’s manufacturer.
The J-20A is a single-seat version of the J-20 with a series of visual changes and hardware upgrades – ranging from new WS-15 engines to additional space for fuel and avionics.
The appearance of both the J-20A and J-20S at the Victory Day parade is significant in the sense that it represents a doctrinal shift within the People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) towards a new airpower ecosystem that combines raw stealth performance and networked warfare.
While the J-20A provides the stealth capabilities proven by the J-20 platform, the J-20S builds on that technology and allows for the easy coordination of drones, missiles, and other electronic warfare assets.
About the Author:
Jack Buckby is a British author, counter-extremism researcher, and journalist based in New York who writes frequently for National Security Journal. Reporting on the U.K., Europe, and the U.S., he works to analyze and understand left-wing and right-wing radicalization, and reports on Western governments’ approaches to the pressing issues of today. His books and research papers explore these themes and propose pragmatic solutions to our increasingly polarized society. His latest book is The Truth Teller: RFK Jr. and the Case for a Post-Partisan Presidency.
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