Chinese media: It is ridiculous to say J-20 copied US fighter jet

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To say that the J-20 jet, China’s new-generation stealth fighter, copied the technologies of US F-117A fighter, which the US Air Force first flew in the 1980s, is simply ludicrous, People's Frontline said in a commentary. The newspaper argued that such voices reflect the jealousy of the US.

China’s J-20 stealth fighter

The original remarks were made by US Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Goldfein in August. People's Frontline refuted Goldfein's claim, stating that if the two models do share similarities, it is only that they both have wheels and wings.

The article exposed the truth behind the dismantled F-117. The aircraft sacrificed aerodynamic design for stealth, rendering it unable to fly at supersonic speeds. In addition, the F-117 could only cover a range of 1,000 kilometers with two land-attack missiles. Its performance is not even compatible with the J-5 and J-6.

The US F-117 Nighthawk

Though the F-117 was a point of pride for US military experts, it was shot down by Yugoslavia's SAM missile. Therefore, the US decided to dismantle the aircraft and started development of the F-22, the paper added.

If, as Goldfein stated, China really had copied the technology of the F-117, then that would indicate that the J-20 is not competitive. But if that were the case, the US government would not continually speak about a "China threat," People's Frontline mused.

It’s not reasonable to compare the J-20 to the F-22 and F-35 either, the article said, adding that the latter has been frequently challenged by technical defects. In addition, the expensive F-22 fails to provide sufficient oxygen for the pilot.

The US F-22 Raptor

As China makes progress on manned space flight, navigation satellites, early-warning satellites, remote-sensing satellites, aircraft carriers, major stealth destroyers, stealth aircraft, unmanned aerial vehicles and large aircraft, the US, as a major military power, has exposed its fear through its remarks about China's achievement.

China hopes to safeguard world peace through the development of cutting-edge weapons. Therefore, it does not matter what the US hegemony says, the paper noted.

(Story originally from People’s Daily)