Without independent verification, experts remain skeptical, raising questions about the aircraft’s true stealth capabilities versus its propaganda value.
The People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) has gone to great lengths to tout the capabilities of its Chengdu J-20 Mighty Dragon, and Chinese state media reported that the aircraft flew near Japan without being observed last week. According to a report from China Central TV (CCTV), the fifth-generation Mighty Dragon’s stealth capabilities allowed it to transit the Tsushima Strait without drawing attention from other military powers.
The Chinese state broadcaster didn’t acknowledge when the flight was made over the waters of the Tsushima Strait, the channel of the larger Korea Strait that lies between the Korean peninsula and Japanese islands of Honshu and Kyushu and which connects the Sea of Japan, the Yellow Sea, and the East China Sea, but the report noted that no other armed forces noted its presence in the highly monitored region.
The South China Morning Post, citing the CCTV news segment, reported that the aircraft was operated by the “elite” First Fighter Brigade, and claimed it had flown “missions over the Bashi Channel and Tsushima Strait, and conducts patrols around Taiwan.” The Chinese paper of record further stated that the Brigade was among the first PLAAF squadrons to receive the fifth-generation fighter.
Are China’s Stealth Fighter Claims Legit?
Although the report claimed there was “little doubt” that the J-20 Mighty Dragon conducted a flight, there has been no independent verification. It may be impossible to prove a negative, such as something that didn’t happen. Still, there have been no statements from the Japanese Self-Defense Force (JSDF), the South Korean Ministry of Defense, or the United States military.
“The area is within the range of a dense network of US, Japanese, and South Korean radar systems, including the US THAAD anti-missile system,” SCMP added.
Either China is exaggerating the capabilities of the J-20, or it is far more capable than Western analysts may have believed. With China, it is hard to say where the truth ends and propaganda begins. Analysts have noted that China has long prioritized quantity over quality, and even Beijing has claimed that the US has exaggerated China’s military threat to justify its domestic defense spending.
Yet, this isn’t the first time that the PLAAF or its pilots have made bold claims that the J-20 flew undetected. In January 2023, Captain Yang Juncheng, PLAAF J-20 Mighty Dragon pilot, claimed that he piloted a Mighty Dragon near Taiwan, and Taipei didn’t send aircraft to intercept his fighter.
The Aviation Geek Club also reported at the time that PLAAF Captain Yang Juncheng of the “Wang Hai” brigade had told CCTV that he flew his J-20 over Taiwan, as well as over the Bashi Channel, Miyako Strait, the Tsushima Strait, and the East China Sea without being detected.
How Good Is China’s Stealth Aircraft Technology?
Aviation enthusiasts have compared China’s fifth-generation fighter to the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II, and numerous articles have speculated on which would likely dominate the skies in a dogfight. However, dogfights may be a thing of the past if the aircraft can’t be seen.
Again, there is no proof that the J-20 flew unobserved, as CCTV and SCMP claim; however, the US and its allies have previously touted the stealth capabilities of the F-35, as well as the Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor and Northrop B-2 Spirit. That is the point of stealth aircraft: to be unobserved in flight.
Yet, it seems unlikely that the J-20 could have flown over Taiwan without someone snapping a photo or the military taking notice, and the same is true of the Tsushima Strait, a highly trafficked commercial waterway.
Or the Mighty Dragon has some serious stealth!
About the Author: Peter Suciu
Peter Suciu has contributed over 3,200 published pieces to more than four dozen magazines and websites over a thirty-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a Contributing Writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. He is based in Michigan. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author: [email protected].
Image Credit: Shutterstock/Xiao Wei.
