China has successfully flown three pre-serial production prototypes that met spec. It's been spotted with ELINT and weapons hard points. Full production is slated for 2018.
However, they've been having severe difficulties with engine development. Most of the demonstration flights were done using outdated engines (usually the WS-10.) Once the production engine is functional (the WS-15), it should be able to lay claim to being a true Fifth Generation fighter and F-22 competitor.
If they can't get the WS-15 working, they'll probably have to buy Russian Su-35's NPO Saturn 117S engines used in the Sukhoi Su-35, which they've been negotiating, but it would make the J-20 more of a 4++ Generation fighter.
The front stealth shape is nearly identical to the F-22 Raptor, however it uses canards to give it some aerial superior advantages at a high angle of attack. But this comes with a tradeoff of some stealth, especially on profile as opposed to head-on, and sacrifices aerodynamic stability making it heavily reliant on its fly-by-wire system.
China has successfully flown three pre-serial production prototypes that met spec. It's been spotted with ELINT and weapons hard points. Full production is slated for 2018.
However, they've been having severe difficulties with engine development. Most of the demonstration flights were done using outdated engines (usually the WS-10.) Once the production engine is functional (the WS-15), it should be able to lay claim to being a true Fifth Generation fighter and F-22 competitor.
If they can't get the WS-15 working, they'll probably have to buy Russian Su-35's NPO Saturn 117S engines used in the Sukhoi Su-35, which they've been negotiating, but it would make the J-20 more of a 4++ Generation fighter.
The front stealth shape is nearly identical to the F-22 Raptor, however it uses canards to give it some aerial superior advantages at a high angle of attack. But this comes with a tradeoff of some stealth, especially on profile as opposed to head-on, and sacrifices aerodynamic stability making it heavily reliant on its fly-by-wire system.