Chengdu J-20 unveiled !

[Deino]

Hey ... no special tread about that bird ?? ... seems to perform some taxi tests these days including one high-speed test including rotation + brake chute releasing today ... so hopefully the first flight could be soon.

From Hutong's site: http://cnair.top81.cn/J-10_J-11_FC-1.htm#J-20

The J-20 #2001 prototype was photographed when it was preparing for high-speed taxxing trial at the CAC airfield on December 22, 2010. The prototype features a pair of all-moving tailfins and ventral stabilzing fins, and the laters are expected to be removed on the production models. It also features F-22 style air intakes but with DSI bumps installed at the upper corners, as well as a one-piece canopy. First disclosed by US Office of Naval Intellegence (ONI) in 1997 as XXJ, J-20 is the 4th generation multi-role fighter to enter the service around 2015. Since 90s both CAC/611 Institute and SAC/601 Institute had been working their own designs for a twin-engine multi-role heavy fighter with stealth capability and maneuverability comparable to American F-22. It was speculated that 601 Institute was working on a "tri-plane" design based on canard/conventional layout/V-shape tailfin while 611 Institute working on a design based on canard/tailless delta wing/all moving V-shape tailfin/side DSI/bump inlet layout. All designs were expected to feature an internal weapon bay to reduce RCS, which has been speculated to be <0.05m2 (head-on). It was also rumored that J-20 could initially be powered by two 13,200kg/WS-10 class turbofan engines with TVC nozzles which would result in a normal TO weight exceeding 20t. J-20 also incoporates an advanced FBW system fully integrated with the fire-control and the engine systems. Its fire-control radar is expected to be AESA (Type 1475/KLJ5?). The aircraft may feature a "pure" glass cockpit (a single F-35 style color LCD display and a wide-angle holographic HUD). Many of these subsystems have been tested onboard J-10B to speed up the development (see above). Russian assistance has been speculated in terms of softwore support for calculating the RCS of various designs, as well as the rumored supply of Salyut 99M2 turbofan engine (14,000kg class) to power the prototypes, if the domestic engine (such as improved WS-10A) fails to meet the schedule. The overall performance of J-20 is thought to be superior to Russian T-50 (stealth) but still inferior to Amereican F-22 (electronics & supercruise). It was reported in November 2006 that a T/W=10 17,000kg class turbofan (WS-15/"large thrust") is being developed for J-20. In August 2008 it was reported that 611 Institute was selected to be the main contractor for the development of J-20 and 601 Institute as the sub-contractor. Subsequently a full-scale metal mockup was built at CAC. One rumor in May 2010 claimed that 611 Institute started to construct the first prototype, which was expected to fly by the end of 2010, even though the full configuration model won't fly until a few years later. The latest news indicated that the first two prototypes (#2001 & 2002) have been constructed and the first high-speed taxiing trial by 2001 took place on December 22, 2010.

also http://www.china-defense-mashup.com/?cat=13

Cheers, Deino

[pollie]

Nice catch, Deino!

Well, the nose section certainly reminds me of a certain US built, non-exported fighter jet..... :D

Those moving vertical tailplanes are very interesting!

[Raymond]

[Raymond]

[pollie]

I think these photos make the Japanese very nervous.....

[Matt Roberts]

The intakes look small don't they?

The head on pic in post it almost does not look to be big enough for a supercruise - or even afterburning engine.

[DutyCat]

Well, since they are in China, maybe Trumpeter will have access soon.

[GreyGhost]

We started discussing it >>> Here <<< ...

Gregg

[dahut]

Flying tail planes are nothing new, right? Its a good idea really.

[afspret]

Kinda looks like a stretched F-22.