Changchun Air Show: Cutting-edge aircraft, unmanned systems on display

The 2025 PLA Air Force aviation open-day event and Changchun Air Show began on Friday in Changchun, the capital city of northeast China's Jilin Province.

The five-day event highlights both active and retired Air Force equipment, showcasing the latest achievements in Air Force development.

For the first time, the J-20 stealth fighter is displayed in a static exhibition, alongside a model of the twin-seat J-20s.

Highlights also included bomber formations, the KJ-500 early warning aircrafts, H-6 bombers and parachute delivery operations, all making their Changchun debut.

The Y-20 transport aircraft also opens its cargo bay to the public for the first time.

Aerial displays provided another highlight at the event. Three aerobatic teams, the Bayi, Red Eagle and Sky Wing, performed together, joined by J-9, JL-10, J-10s and J-11Bs aircrafts in diverse maneuvers.

Paratroopers staged a counterterrorism drill, underlining the results of realistic combat training.

Beyond the performances and static displays, the event features an Air Force theme pavilion and interactive areas for flight simulation and drone operation, creating an immersive atmosphere under the theme "Chasing dreams in the sky, securing victory for the future."

(Cover: The J-20 formation at the Changchun Air Show, Jilin Province, northeast China, September 19, 2025. /VCG)