Details on China's new stealth fighters revealed online



Concept art for China's J-25 fighter. (Internet Photo)


The J-20 and J-31, China's first two stealth fighters, are still in the developmental stages, however secrets regarding the nation's other two fifth generation fighters, the J-23 and J-25, have been revealed on Chinese military websites, reports the Chinese-language news portal Qianzhan.

The J-23 fighter, designed by the Shenyang Aviation Corporation, is no longer an aircraft based on Russian technology, the report said. Shenyang Aviation Corporation has instead chosen to model the J-23 based on the F-22 Raptor of the United States Air Force as it will provide the People's Liberation Army Air Force or Navy Air Force a better chance to combat American fighters in a potential conflict.

According to the leaked details, the J-23 has a longer fuselage and two v-shape vertical tails which look very similar to the ones used by the F-22. If China is able to introduce a 117S thrust vector control engine from Russia, the maneuverability of J-23 will also be enhanced gradually, the report said.

China's military has yet to provide details on the development of the J-23, however Chan Kaiye, a political analyst and blogger, said that the fighter has already been used in military drills as enemy aircraft due to its similar appearance to the F-22.

Meanwhile, the J-25, China's fourth stealth fighter designed by the Chengdu Aviation Corporation, has the capacity to shoot down an F-22 in just a few seconds, the report said, adding that the fighter, nicknamed "ghost bird," may also be one of the world's most advanced stealth fighters thanks to China's 3D printing technology. Analysts claim that J-25's primary mission is to challenge the dominance of the United States and its allies in the airspace over the Western Pacific as China's future carrier-based fighter.

http://www.wantchinatimes.com/news-s...00088&cid=1101