Why China’s J-20 Mighty Dragon may lack the firepower to use laser weapons

The stealth fighter’s performance is hampered by the failure to produce a suitable engine and this may limit its ability to use directed-energy weapons

The advanced systems, which include lasers and sound waves, are being developed by a number of militaries

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The J-20 is China’s most advanced fighter. Photo: 81.com

Published: 12:00pm, 6 Feb 2022

China’s ambitions to arm its most advanced fighter jet with hi-tech weapons, such as lasers or particle beams, may be frustrated by its underpowered engines, according to military analysts.

An increasing number of countries are researching cutting-edge directed-energy weapons (DEW), including the United States which is looking into their use to target hypersonic missiles and gliders.

The J-20, which is central to the country’s plans for military modernisation, would be an obvious choice to be armed with these weapons – which can attack a variety of targets from long-range using highly focused energy such as lasers, microwaves, particle beams, and sound beams.

But Chinese engineers have struggled for years to produce engines powerful enough to allow the J-20 – a fifth-generation stealth fighter also known as the Mighty Dragon – to reach its peak performance and match the likes of the US F-22.

Last month, military sources said the People’s Liberation Army would start upgrading its engines, but work on a purpose-built engine has repeatedly fallen behind schedule.

Wang Mingliang, a professor at the Air Force Command College, told state broadcaster CCTV that he was optimistic about the fighter’s future development.