(Franco Iacch)
25/07/16

http://www.difesaonline.it/mondo-militare/cina-il-caccia-di-quinta-generazione-j-20-%C3%A8-produzione-sar%C3%A0-servizio-entro-12-mesi

China has completed four J-20 and within the next six months that number could triple. The new pictures published by the "usual" Chinese fans sites (government-controlled), leave no room for doubt. The first fifth-generation Chinese fighter, the Chengdu J-20, is under Low Rate Initial Production (LRIP).

The four J-20 currently operating have received the serial number 2001, 2002, 2011 and 2017. The first two, in 2001 and 2002, they were used as technology demonstrators while 2011 and 2017 are in the configuration of pre-production. The airplane configuration is unchanged, a sign that the aerodynamic design of the project works relatively well.

The Chengdu J-20 project, chasing fifth generation took off for the first time in January of 2011, is defined by the Pentagon as "a long-range platform, able to penetrate heavily defended areas." The Chinese have always maintained that platform fifth generation, "with the F-22 similar performance but with the operating costs of the F-35", would enter into service with Initial operational Capacity by 2018. but the rate of production and test deliveries to the Chinese army , confirm the entry into service of the J-20 advance to the middle of 2017.

The J-20 is a platform that is inspired by Russian, American and European. It presents similarities in design to the technology demonstrator MiG 1:44 which, in turn, recalls the EFA-2000. For the West, however, the Chengdu J-20 is inspired from Northrop YF-23, the only proposed prototype together all'YF-22 for the Advanced Tactical Fighter project (v.articolo).

For the Chengdu J-20 will include at least six variants: long-range interceptor, and escort dogfight, ground attack, long-range reconnaissance, electronic and launching pad for anti-satellite missile attack. Even the J-20 is currently equipped with two Russian manufacture turbojets, even if the line hunting should be equipped with an engine of conception and national production.

The Chinese concept of having two stealth fighter for different types of missions is the same as the US F-22 / J-20 for supremacy (domain) aircraft and F-35 / J-31 for the bombing, Close Air Support and tactical support.

In 1992, China purchased some Su-27SK from Russia and then present, fifteen years later, the J-11B, a shamelessly version identical to supercaccia Russian. But the copies do not end there. According to Russian China, in violation of the agreements on intellectual property, he would have cloned the project of the Su-33, the air defense system S-300, the most powerful of the designs of the world artillery rocket launchers, BM-30 Smerch and specific self-propelled howitzer 152 mm 2S19 Msta.

To date, the main problem of the J-20 is related to its propulsion system. The J-20 will not be able to reach its full potential until China will not be able to develop the engines with a thrust-to-weight ratio of ten to one. Despite the efforts, the Chinese have not yet developed jet engines able to reach the performance of Pratt & Whitney F119 and F135, which equip respectively the F-22 Raptor and the F-35 Lightning Lockheed Martin.

Probably, the Chinese aim to exploit the Russian turbofan technology (NPO Saturn AL-41F1) that equip the Su-35E (Beijing has bought twelve) to develop a new propulsion system.

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IZAKOVIC