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Uncategorized Tuesday, May 15th 2012 at 8:30 am

A Second Stealthy Chinese J-20 Jet Has Been Spotted

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In January of last year, China made a bit of splash when a never-before-seen jet suddenly appeared. It was dubbed the J-20 and though it’s been photographed by fans in the months since its debut, not much is known about this stealthy new addition to the Chinese fleet. However, one thing is now certain: There is another. 

Though it’s difficult to say, Google translated webpages seem to indicate that a second J-20 with the number 2002 has been spotted at an undisclosed airport within the last few days. For reference, the J-20 spotted last January is number 2001.

The two planes appear to be largely identical, with minor changes to the 2002 aircraft. One change, noticed by the DEW line blog, is that the air data probe (the spike thingy on the front of the plane) has been moved to the tip of the aircraft. Originally, it was slightly offset.

Interestingly, pictures of the new aircraft emerged on the Global Times. Though the Times apparently has a reputation for controversy, it’s worth noting that its parent company is owned by the Chinese Communist Party. While I hesitate to read too much into this, it could be that the government is continuing to use the prototype jet to attract public attention as well as develop new military hardware.

Not much is known about the J-20 program, but the unveiling of a second jet is certainly interesting. That would at least seem to indicate that the J-20 project is alive and well, and perhaps even progressing. Maybe we’ll be seeing more of these in the coming years.

And before you assume that the Chinese government is trying to mess with everyone’s mind by switching the numbers around, here are the two planes photographed together.

(The DEW Line, images via mil.huanqiu)

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  • Anonymous

    Bought with “free trade” the suicidal trade policy  that is making us poor.

  • http://conurls.com/ Chris Jones

    It’s so obvious that China hacked into DOD and stole the blueprints for the F-22 Raptor. Portions of the J-20 are nearly identical. The theft of our most closely guarded military secrets and equipment is a regular occurrence. It’s an outrage that we allow this to happen. It’s a huge threat to our national security and a makes us look like a joke around the world.

  • Anonymous

    Oh for Pete’s sake … it’s a freaking huge country, over a billion people, second biggest national economy on the planet, & if we keep on going with this Von Mises auterian misery rather than doing the smart thing & hiring back all the teachers, police, firefighters & other public service employees, it’s going to be the biggest very shortly. Germany, England, France, any of those could afford something like this, & those national economies combined don’t add up to the size of the Chinese economy. 

  • Anonymous

    The former CIA operative interviewed on 60 minutes said China has a very aggressive and active spy network in this country.  The apparent similarities between the Chinese J-20 and American F-22 and F35 jets is undeniable.  The primary tactic the communist nations of the world  has been to steal rather than develop the technology they want.  Going all the way back to the Boeing B-29 was copied and reverse engineered as the Tupolev TU-4 after 3 of the Flying Fortresses were forced to land in Russian territory.  Later the entire Canadian Avro Arrow CF-105 Interceptor program was shut down after it was discovered the Soviets were essentially building a copy.  Fortunately the soviets did not possess the technology to develop the materials necessary to make their copy work as the Canadian Arrow did.  It is an unfortunate consequence of technological advancement which causes the imitation and ultimately the copying of advanced aeronautical developments.

  • guest

    Who cares. 

  • Anonymous

    Hyperbolic responses in 3…2…1.

  • SoThere

    It’s a stealth US clone and we’re not building them anymore thanks to Obama.

  • Anonymous

    Wonder if the stealth coating is a lead based paint.

  • SoThere

    Go back to sleep.

  • Anonymous

    Looks like an F-22. I can only wonder why…..

  • Tucsonense

    Oh here we go…………………….Everything Obama……Get a life!

  • Doug

    I wonder if they thought to supply oxygen for their pilots to breath. Thats one thing we overlooked in our Stealth production.

  • SoThere

    He was responsible for the cancellation of the program. Does the truth hurt?

    Get a clue!

  • WiddleBabyDanielson

     I thought we were spending too much money???

  • Anonymous

    National defense is one of the VERY FEW things the feds are supposed to be doing. Ever read the constitution?

  • WiddleBabyDanielson

     ENDLESSLY?

  • Anonymous

    Not so “stealthy”. I could totally see the pictures!

  • SoThere

    There you go trying to think again. Youz funny.

  • togo

    many USA citizens apparently

  • Captain America

    I agree with your sentiment, but not your facts. First, the UK = England + Scotland + Wales + Northern Ireland, not just England. England hasn’t been an independent nation state since 1707, try to be a little more educated. Second, in terms of nominal gdp in 2011, China  = about 7 trillion dollars, Germany + France + United Kingdom = about 8.6 trillion dollars. At purchasing power parity, maybe another matter, but ppp is not so good for high tech goods. In the next few years, your statement will probably be true, but not at the moment. However you are correct that any one of those European countries could produce a fifth generation fighter, and actually Britain assists the development and production of the US Joint Strike Fighter and is the only ‘top level’ partner. 

  • Anonymous

    Thats all we need; to spend more on out overpriced military.  

  • SoThere

    Ya, who needs a Military anyway?

  • SoThere

    The oxygen comes from the little round tube sticking out of the front of the plane.  They suck through it when they get dizzy. You know, like when you have to hide underwater from the Indians.

  • http://twitter.com/Seanmj63376 Sean Johnson

    What difference does it make that they have stealth Jets? They can just stop buying our bonds and we are finished.

  • Anonymous

    That’s to funny, i’m dying here… why didn’t we think of that..

  • Anonymous

    Remember when the Concorde blueprints were leaked out to the Soviets and they developed the Tu-144 version? It was faulty because the prints intentionally leaked were faulty and they spent a lot on that plane that never got far. The Chinese have a lot to learn in this realm and if they got it from us who’s to say this isn’t a similar senario. At any rate putting the F-22 up against the J-20 would reduce their inventory to one in a heart beat. I’m confident in the plane and more importantly our pilots and would put money on it……

  • Anonymous

    You can copy what it looks like but the guts aren’t so easy to sumize as are the materials manufacturing process. Then there’s the counterintelegence effort. They may have gotten the Concorde/Tu-144 treatment. Feed them crap intentionally and they think they have a bonanza until our guys shoot them down given the need. I’ll put my money without fear on our pilots skill and the F-22 Air Dominator any day!!! 

  • Anonymous

    How stealthy could it be?

  • Anonymous

    F-22 although its in the Air Dominator class has to many problems to be valued at 300 million each. Be assured that when one program is dumped there’s something better in the wings…..

  • Anonymous

    Don’t know but it’s reported to have problems in the rain…..

  • Anonymous

    No one’s shutting down the military! Be realistic, the  F-22 is a great test product that got rushed into production and has many problems. The Russians are marketing a cheaper plane at a 100 million with less issues….

  • Anonymous

    To be determined, stay tuned………

  • Anonymous

    Stealth jets, aircraftcarrier, lunar landing program….all merits some concern…..

  • Anonymous

    Did you close your eyes when you looked at our stealth planes? LOL…..

  • Anonymous

    Not willing to consider there’s a reason…..?

  • Anonymous

    The US has a stealth plane??

  • SoThere

    I’m very realistic.  The Defense budget is being cut and I never said we were shutting down the military, be realistic and don’t put words in my mouth.

  • SoThere

    I made an accurate statement, what’s your problem?

  • Anonymous

    “To be or not to be, that is the question: Whether ’tis Nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune. Or take up arms against a sea of troubles?”

    Hamlet’s soliloquy
    Purveyor

  • Anonymous

    “Stupid is as stupid does”   (Gump family proverb)

  • Anonymous

    Wasn’t the second biggest before wealth was transferred from our country to their under the policy of “free trade.”

    Mises is one of those “free traitors” supporting mercantism in reverse for developed countries.

    We have more teachers and spend more on education than ever in history.  It is misappropriated, though.  It used to be focussed on those who show promise – we need to stop wasting it on those who are just  thugs

  • Anonymous

    They don’t have to hack anything – just call up an H1b worker.

  • SoThere

    OK ?

  • SoThere

    He must be a Communist!

  • http://twitter.com/kenop @kenop

    Comments like yours make Americans look like a joke around the world.

  • Sandie

    LMAO

  • Bdsbjd

    boo hoo – what a knob @realchrisjones:disqus 

  • Anonymous

    F-117, F-22, B-2 provide a radar signature of a bird! Your pulling my leg right? Stealth does not equal invisible but that is the ultimate goal……

  • Anonymous

    Your sarcasm needs refining. ” Who needs a Military anyway?” implies a belief its being shut down. The austerrity we will be seeing across the board hasn’t even been  broached yet and it’s going to hurt when it does……

  • Anonymous

    No problem for me seems to be for you. Would it have been OK with you if someone other that Obama canceled the F-22. It’s plagued with problems and way over priced. We can do better……

  • Anonymous

    Ever the philosopher eh purveyor?

  • Sandie

    Or maybe a Stupidist …. another Gump family term….. LMAO

  • Anonymous

    I would never pull your leg unless it were a chicken leg

  • Anonymous

    “?”

    Surely you must have understood the quote’s significance to my “troubles” elsewhere?

    I was just surprised to find you here and as ROCKYCOMET mentioned–”ever the philosopher,” hence, I shared what I deemed a pertinent quote with you.

    Don’t you find Hamlet’s famous dilemma, apropos, to “thine own self be true?”  LOL

    Anyway, I don’t recognize the aircraft in your avatar?  A three bladed prop, and the small nacelles around the engine cowling? A radial engine, not a Dora 9, maybe an American pre-war trainer?

    Provocateur of Rhetoric

  • Anonymous

    ROCKY,

    Believe it or not, I managed to get suspended from posting for 5 days for articulating my multi-syllabic vocabulary. (Not Mediaite)  That, and making coherent, well reasoned arguments, thus bruising tender egos?

    “So There” is privy to my conundrum, hence I just said hello  with a bit of Hamlet… Ouch

    By the way, I grew up in Oshkosh Wisconsin, home of the EAA fly in. I am an aficionado of fixed wing aircraft.

    Provocateur of Rhetoric

  • Anonymous

    I would guess the avatar is depicting a Mitchel B-25. I would recomend you you not formulate a post from the Id those impulses can get one in trouble. Have you found Eldorado? Lol….. 

  • Anonymous

    The aircraft is more than likely a Macchi c-200. The unique nacelles around the cowling were peculiar to that plane. Certainly NOT, a B-25!

    I wondered what ever happened to poor little Albert? (BF Skinners test subject)

  • Anonymous

    Au contraire mon ami. The Macchi doesn’t have an engine air intake on top. The avatar isn’t depicting nacelles but cowling flairs with the engine cover removed. The fly guy in the picture is clearly an US Army Air Corp Pilot with era leather bomber jacket and c-cap on his head. Judging by the size of the engine it’s also a bomber not a fighter plane like the c-200. It also appears to be suspended from the wing. Make a comparison with a picture of the Mitchel if you please…….

  • Anonymous

    In 2009, Beck, Levinson, and Irons sought out “Little Albert” to see how Watson’s study affected his life. They found that he had died from hydrocephalus at the age of 6.-Wiki

  • Dv

    Nearly identical? As in it also has wings, a cockpit and engines? These 2 planes look nothing alike, the J-20 has a canard delta planform configuration, while the F-22 has clipped delta wings.

  • Anonymous

    ROCKY,

    Re, Macchi C-200
    I do not share the confidence in MY assessment that you apparently have in yours? All of which will make make it more entertaining if and when you admit to being wrong!

    Lets start with the man in the American uniform. He, quite possibly is standing on the wing of a CAPTURED Italian fighter? There are numerous such photos from WWII of captured Axis equipment

    As for the plane being a B-25? The engine of a Mitchell was underslung, meaning below the wing, as you can see this is not the case in the photo.

    Next: The “nacelles” or blisters as I have referred too, for lack of a better term, are on the engine cowling, seemingly 360 degrees. They do not appear to be intake, rather, included for another reason? PLEASE, google the Macchi C200 as there is a lovely photograph showing the nacelles or blisters I am referring too. I do not know of any other aircraft with such?

    To recap:
    1.)The soldier could be standing on captured equipment.
    2.) The engine is on top of the wing, not on the bottom
    3.) The “blisters” on the cowling (possibly to accommodate a protuberance peculiar to that radial engine)
    4.) Photos of a Macchi C-200 (radial engined) clearly show the similarities I refer too.

    Thus, I suggest the aircraft is captured Italian hardware.

    Provocateur

  • Anonymous

    ROCKY,

    Upon further examination, I am now quite certain of my conclusion. The C-200 has an intake port at the 12 o’clock position just as the plane in the photo does. That facet, combined with the “nacelles/blisters” in corresponding positions, 360 degrees around the cowling, make that aircraft an Italian Macchi C200…

    Just look at So There’s photo with magnifying glass and compare with the Google photos…

    Provocateur

    Note: As I mentioned, I may not be an expert, however, at the least am an aficionado of classic aircraft.

  • Anonymous

    Yes good sir! I agree that it very likely is in fact a Havoc A-20. It has an air intake on top of the engine and I found a photo of the engine cowling flairs and vent holes as you indicated. I at least got the bomber aspect correct and there is greater similarity between the Mitchel and the Havoc than the Macchi. You sir are awarded the Trophy of Serlock Sleuthing Skills in finding the Havoc as most viable candidate…

    Speculation is often a begining to finding a solution…

  • Anonymous

    That was fun. Between the two of us, I think we got it right.

    I was convinced it was the fighter, yet you steered me back to the twin engine bombers of the era… And what a great “era” it was!

    Stay in touch…

  • SoThere

    NO.

  • SoThere

    I,m not willing to stop progress in the area because of a few difficulties.

  • Anonymous

    Yes I enjoyed the exchange as well! It was a much simpler era. Interesting how an enemy can gravitate Americans to shed their differences. Lately we are our own worst enemy……

  • Anonymous

    Neither am I but I also don’t believe we should piss away limited resources. I’m a USAF veteran and saw many aircraft. I am an an aficionado of all aircraft as purveyor stated. I was a great admirer of the F-22 and it’s biggest fan until I looked into it’s deficencies. It stealth coating is bad in the rain. Parts have to be modified at last minute to fit. It goes on. It’s not a few difficulties. To many contractors and poor quality control. For 300 million a piece I expect better as I would think you would. The lesson learned here would be applied to the next venture. If you look at what is in the wings you’ll agree that is what progress in military weaponry should be and what we are capable of at lower cost……

  • SoThere

    We abandoned our research into VTOL and the British took our research and developed the Harrier and we improved their version which is a great asset to the US now. We had awful problems with the Osprey and it turned out to be another great asset even with it’s history of problems. We are the problem solvers when we want to but not when projects get cancelled.

  • Anonymous

    Your not giving credit to a possible better asset we aren’t yet aware of. I agree we are problem solvers and over come adversity endlessly. I for one believe with certainty that that the Sr-71 has a replacement not yet disclosed. Remember how the F-117 was declassified……

  • m0n0lyth

    With a longer frame this actually looks more like the F-22s old competitor from back in the day, the YF-23.  I wouldn’t be surprised if that’s exactly what it is in fact.  YF-23 lost out so why not sell the plans, data, and prototype to some other country.

  • lee

     heh..you think only usa can make that….you dont know anything about military

  • Anonymous

    I guess it is not that stealthy if it has been spotted…TWICE !!

    joking

  • Anonymous

    Have you been hiding under a rock? USA is a joke around the world..next to Greece.

  • Anonymous

    quit being soo paranoid..go back to watching fox news and being scared…panzy ass.

  • Anonymous

    I have a feeling you are unemployed or working nights at a gas station..

  • Anonymous

    You are correct sir. I was laid off during the Bush trickle up policies. I have been unable to return to work because of some injuries I have incured. Fortunately the saving have sustained me but are running out so I may wind up working nights at a gas station. Your point is…….?

  • Anonymous

    well thanks for ruining my joke asshole. now i feel sad.

  • Anonymous

    Ok so first you seem to insinuate I’m a dead beat since I didn’t recognize the joke. Now I’m an asshole for ruining something I didn’t see. Please clarify the joke so I can laugh since I’m in great need of some laughter or you can explain what I have done to incured your wrath……

  • Gary Cheng

    No, you can not. You have not the environment to do so. The only way to achieve the cost effectiveness is to out source F-22 to China. And do it fast because their cost of labour is on the rise, too. I think the United States are doing fine by borrowing money from Asia. In the Cold War Era the two sides seek mutually assured destruction, and the result was world peace. Right now the U.S and China are in a state of mutually assured depression; so long we do not attempt to disrupt the current equilibrium, we should enjoy world peace for a few more decades.

  • Anonymous

    Except that China has made attempts at saber rattling and trying to politically influence the world by disabling the world markets well being and mutual concerns as has Putin’s Russia. The need for China to have aircraftcarriers and stealth aircraft doesn’t speak to world peace. Denying our Pacific Fleet safe harbour during a storm does not make for peaceful relations. Out sourcing technology to China has been and continues to be one of our greatest mistakes which is sure to bite us on the arse. The danger of China holding our debt is their potential to call in that debt. The question is how will we respond to that demand and that does not spell peace. The so called equilibrium will tip inevitably. If that happens well then I guess we will find out what else we have up our sleeve not readily spoken about by the skunk works…..

  • Ronin877

    The Chinese have had a history of stealing technology and developing it on their side for decades. But here’s the catch, they may have virtually unlimited manpower, they are just on the cusp on the infrastructure support. I’d bet that the US F-22 would smoke them on a ratio of 20:1 and they would not be able to keep them flying in a real shootout.