Combat aircraft

on November 29, and  nally ‘2015’ on

December 19.

As of early 2015, many observers were

expecting additional aircraft to this

initial standard to be rapidly delivered

to join  ight-testing. However, this

proved wrong and the seventh aircraft

— numbered ‘2016’ — was only spotted

for the  rst time on September 11,

2015 while preparing for its taxi tests.

It made its  rst  ight only a week later

on September 18. A  nal prototype,

numbered ‘2017’, completed its maiden

 ight on November 24.

The reason for this delay is not entirely

clear. Following the introduction of four

aircraft in quick succession in 2014, and

their delivery to the CFTE and allegedly

even the Flight Test and Training Center

(FTTC), things went quiet for nearly nine

months until this new aircraft appeared.

One reason might be a minor mishap,

 rst reported in mid-August, when one of

the prototypes was said to have su ered

an alleged landing incident related

to pilot-induced oscillation. Another

explanation could be CAC’s request for

a more powerful version of the Saturn

AL-31FN Series 3 engine that eventually

powers the current aircraft. Most likely,

we will never know — at least not yet

— but it is noticeable that ‘2016’ has

undergone a few more minor redesigns.

Enhanced prototypes

In contrast to the  rst two demonstrators,

the ‘201x’ series prototypes — ‘2011’ to

‘2017’ — feature several re nements.

These include a stealth coating, a

Left, top

to bottom:

Previously

J-20 ‘2002’, the

aircraft is seen

after it was

renumbered as

‘2004’. Among its

modi cations,

the aircraft

was reportedly

 tted with the

intended AESA

radar.

J-20 ‘2011’ is

the  rst of the

‘201x’-series

prototypes.

These

incorporate

various

improvements,

many relating to

enhanced stealth

characteristics.

A busy year for

the program,

2014 saw the

appearance

of four new

prototypes —

‘2012’  rst  ew

on July 26 of that

year.

Below: The  rst

two ‘Mighty

Dragons’ —

aircraft ‘2001’

and ‘2002’ —

were technology

demonstrators.

They were later

transferred from

Chengdu to the

China Flight Test

Establishment

at Xi’an-Yanliang

for further

testing.

FIGHTER FOCUS | J20

http://www.combataircraft.net January 2018

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