China’s J-20 stealth fighter jet lines up for combat duty, boosting firepower in the sky
Deployment comes as Beijing pushes ahead with patrols in the South China Sea
China’s J-20 stealth fighter has entered combat service, the country’s armed forces confirmed on Friday, expanding the military’s air power options as it presses on with a massive modernisation programme.
People’s Liberation Army Air Force spokesman Shen Jinke said the deployment of the J-20 to combat units would “help the air force better shoulder the sacred mission of safeguarding national sovereignty, security and territorial integrity”.
Shen said the air force was moving towards a modernised military service that could operate in all fronts, and had become an effective force to control, contain and win a war.
The fighter jet officially entered military service in September, and was put through its combat paces over nine days of drills with less-advanced J-16 and J-10C fighters last month, the air force said.
The J-20 was designed for stealth and manoeuvrability and is powered by two jet engines, giving it extra power as well as the ability to survive engine failure, according to the Washington-based Centre for Strategic and International Studies.