Latest news with #J-20


South China Morning Post
a day ago
- Politics
- South China Morning Post
China's J-20 stealth aircraft flew through the Tsushima Strait. Did anybody else notice?
The Chinese air force's most advanced J-20 stealth fighter has flown through the strategic Tsushima Strait near Japan, an apparent first not reported by any other armed forces with a presence in the region. Advertisement In a series aired on Sunday, state broadcaster CCTV reported that the elite air force unit, the First Fighter Brigade, now 'flies missions over the Bashi Channel and Tsushima Strait, and conducts patrols around Taiwan'. The unit was among the first to receive the new-generation aircraft and while the report did not refer to the J-20 directly, footage of the stealth fighter was shown throughout the segment, leaving little doubt about the aircraft involved. The Tsushima Strait is a narrow and heavily monitored waterway. It separates South Korea from Japan and is a chokepoint connecting the Sea of Japan – or East Sea – with the East China Sea. 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 Advertisement But the transit of the J-20, China's most advanced stealth fighter, has not been reported by either Seoul or Tokyo.


India.com
6 days ago
- India.com
These are the deadliest fighter jets in world, invisible in sky, hard to hit because…, not China's J-20 or US's F-16, they are...
These are the deadliest fighter jets in world, invisible in sky, hard to hit because…, not China's J-20 or US's F-16, they are… Whether it's the Russia-Ukraine war or the conflict between Israel and Iran, the significance of fighter jets has been clearly proven. These fighting machines are loaded with next-generation technologies and carry the latest weapons. Even the latest radars fail to detect them because of their stealth technology and unmatched speed. There are several fighter jets from different generations used by various countries — but do you know which are the deadliest? We have curated a list of five of the deadliest fighter jets that are hard to hit. Let's check them out. Why Some Jets Are Nearly Impossible To Shoot Down? There is no doubt that fighter jets are one of the most advanced machines made by humans so far. These machines not only fly fast but are also almost invisible in the sky to most advanced radars. As per experts, advanced fighter jets are equipped with stealth shapes, powerful engines, and advanced electronics that makes them super powerful machines.


Time of India
7 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
East Ladakh's Nyoma airfield set to be operational by October
Nyoma airfield NEW DELHI: In a boost to India's military capabilities close to the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China, the crucial Mudh airfield project in the high-altitude Nyoma area in eastern Ladakh is all set to be completed by Oct. The upgrade work by (BRO) at the airfield, among the world's highest at an altitude of 13,710 feet, included extending and strengthening the original airstrip into a 2.7km 'rigid pavement' runway with a dispersal area and turning pads, among other things. The Rs 230 crore upgrade will allow operations by all kinds of fixed-wing aircraft like heavy-lift transport planes and fighter jets from both directions. "The runway, with 46m width, is fully ready. The allied infrastructure, including the ATC complex, hangar, crash bay, watch towers, accommodation and the likes, is also more or less complete," an official told TOI. "Nyoma will prove crucial as a forward staging ground for troops deployed in the region and transporting supplies quickly to them. The airfield will also be available for fighter operations by early 2026, though high altitude will be a limiting factor, much like what Chinese air force faces across LAC," he said. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Gold Is Surging in 2025 — Smart Traders Are Already In IC Markets Learn More Undo China, in fact, has systematically worked over the last five years to offset terrain constraints at its airbases facing India due to high altitude and rarefied air, which limits weapon and fuel-carrying capacity of aircraft. With new and extended runways, hardened shelters, fuel and ammunition storage facilities, China has managed to deploy additional jets, including advanced J-20 stealth fighters as well as bombers, reconnaissance aircraft and drones, at its airfields like Hotan, Kashgar, Gargunsa, Shigatse, Bangda, Nyingchi and Hoping. It has also built many new heliports along the 3,488km LAC, stretching from eastern Ladakh to Arunachal Pradesh. India is trying to play catch-up. Located about 35km from LAC, Nyoma will be another operational base for IAF in Ladakh after the Leh, Kargil and Thoise airfields and Daulat Beg Oldie ALG (advanced landing ground). Nyoma was reactivated as an ALG when a medium-lift AN-32 transport aircraft first landed there in Sept 2009. The upgrade project began during the military confrontation with China that erupted after the People's Liberation Army made multiple incursions into eastern Ladakh in April-May 2020. In addition to strengthening the capacity of existing airbases to handle more aircraft, India has progressively upgraded the infrastructure at ALGs like Fukche and DBO in Ladakh, as well as Pasighat, Mechuka, Walong, Tuting, Along and Ziro in Arunachal Pradesh. Similarly, civil ALGs in the middle sector (Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh) of LAC are also now being increasingly used for military purposes.


The Star
21-07-2025
- Science
- The Star
Can a superalloy method fix aircraft engine woes, even for sixth-gen fighters?
Chinese researchers working on a new superalloy processing technique say their lab results suggest it could be used to build stronger and longer-lasting aircraft engines, according to state media. Superalloy turbine discs are a core component of aircraft engines and the new technique to cool down the metal alloy faster during manufacturing could significantly improve performance, the official Science and Technology Daily reported on Friday. It said the new technology had the potential to be used in the engines powering the country's new sixth-generation fighter jets. With at least two of these next-gen fighter jets currently under development, there is an urgent need to develop advanced, high-performance aircraft engines – an area where China has lagged behind the West. To do this, the team at Dalian University of Technology in northeast China tackled a key challenge in the manufacturing process: finding a way to rapidly cool the forged turbine discs made of superalloy. These discs are among the heaviest and most technically demanding parts of an aircraft engine. Their quality and durability has long been an obstacle for the industry since this determines the engine's power, efficiency and lifespan. In an aircraft engine, the turbine discs are the base on which turbine blades are mounted. The discs convert the thermal energy generated by fuel combustion into the rotational force needed to propel the aircraft. That means the superalloy the discs are made from must be able to withstand extreme temperatures, high pressure and high rotational speeds. During manufacturing, faster cooling produces smaller and more evenly distributed grains in the metal alloy, which translates to stronger, smoother surfaces and a longer lifespan. The team in Dalian have developed a technique where multiple high-speed jets of water are used to cool the superalloy in a fine, uniform mist. A computer simulation model is used to optimise placement of the nozzles and jet settings so that the process is precisely controlled, according to the report. The team said their experiment data showed the cooling speed was 3.75 times faster using this method, and there was a more than a fourfold improvement in crystal grain size distribution. An ultra-high temperature disc at 1,200 degrees Celsius (2,192 Fahrenheit) cooled down by 673 degrees per minute using this approach, the report said. 'Our cooling speed has met the demands of the new generation of aviation engines,' said Shi Jinhe, a leader of the research team. 'We will ... accelerate the application and transformation of the lab results.' The report did not say how much difference that could make to the performance of turbine discs in terms of temperature resistance and reliability. Aircraft engines have been a challenge for China. Its fifth-generation fighter jet, the J-20, was plagued for years with engine troubles referred to as 'heart disease'. Development of its WS-15 engine was repeatedly delayed and the fighter jet instead had an inferior engine that was said to have held it back from reaching its full potential, especially when it came to manoeuvrability and stealth capacity at supersonic speed. It was not until July 2023 that the first J-20 prototype fitted with two WS-15 engines began testing – more than 12 years after the J-20's maiden flight. Aircraft engine technology has been designated as a key priority in various state strategies as Beijing tries to push the sector to make progress and catch up with other nations. That has seen advances in powder metallurgy processing and the DD6 superalloy, which was used for the turbine discs of the WS-15 engine. Researchers are said to be developing a DD9 superalloy for China's next-generation fighter jet engine. That superalloy is reportedly able to withstand temperatures of up to 1,200 degrees, which would put it on par with the XA100 engine made by GE Aerospace for America's F-35 fighter jet. - SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST


India.com
11-07-2025
- Business
- India.com
Pakistan in panic mode as India considers to purchase Russian SU-57 fighter jet, struggles to get Chinese J-35, now puts last hope on...
Pakistan was claiming for a long time that it would soon get J-35 fighter jets from China. These jets are known as fifth-generation fighter aircraft, which are very modern and advanced. But now, Pakistan's Defence Minister has clearly said that Pakistan is not buying J-35 jets from China and there are two main reasons behind this change. First, the pressure from the United States, and second, China is not ready to deliver these jets so quickly. Earlier also, experts had said that Pakistan was just making big promises and it was not possible for China to deliver such advanced jets in a few months. Meanwhile, India's Defence Secretary said that India is seriously thinking about buying fifth-generation fighter jets from a friendly country. As Russian President Vladimir Putin is expected to visit India soon, many believe that India might buy the Su-57 fighter jet from Russia to meet its urgent needs. However, there is no official confirmation about this deal yet. Pakistan may ask China to give them J-20 'Mighty Dragon' stealth fighter A former fighter pilot of the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) and defence expert, Air Commodore (Retd) Khalid Chishti, has said that if China delays the delivery of the J-35A jets, then Pakistan may ask China to give them J-20 'Mighty Dragon' stealth fighter jets instead. These J-20 jets are also advanced fifth-generation aircraft. Pakistan's New Drama over Fifth-Generation Fighter Jets Pakistan Air Force (PAF) was earlier claiming that it would get 40 J-35A stealth fighter jets (the export version of China's FC-31) within a few months. However, earlier reports had suggested that Pakistan may only get these jets by 2027, not anytime soon. In an interview with TRT Global, retired Air Commodore Khalid Chishti, a Pakistani defence expert, said, 'Pakistan does not have access to any other fifth-generation jets, so if India gets the SU-57E from Russia, then Pakistan will have to depend completely on China.' The J-20 is China's most advanced fifth-generation stealth fighter jet. It has been made only for the Chinese Air Force and is not for sale to other countries. So far, China has never sold the J-20 to anyone, and it has also never tried to sell it. What if Pakistan gets the J-20? Even though the chances of Pakistan getting China's J-20 fighter jet are very low, let's imagine what could happen if it actually does. Suppose China agrees to give the J-20 to Pakistan, Pakistan will face many problems. The J-20 is a very advanced jet, and using it would not be easy for Pakistan. Because: Pakistan will need a very well-trained pilots to fly it New airbases with longer runways Modern radar and air defense systems Advanced ground equipment And new types of missiles specially made for the J-20 Pakistan would also have to spend a lot of money to build all this support infrastructure. What is India doing in this race? India, too, has been discussing the need for a fifth-generation fighter jet for a long time. But unlike Pakistan, India doesn't have a money problem. For India, the challenges are more about strategy and geopolitics. India's own jet project, called AMCA, is still under development and may not be ready before 2035. So for now, India has two options: The Russian Su-57E The American F-35