Yes, judging from the mountains in the background, it is definitely in Guilin.
Chengdu J-20 5th Generation Aircraft News & Discussions
- Thread starter SiliconBit (silicon0000)
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Ali_Baba
VIP Member
Wow - that would be the first time any representation (even partial as here) of the cockpit / MFD / symbology has been shown( bottom right trainee pilot infront of the large MFD).
Michael
VIP Member
The cockpit of the J-20 fighter jet has largely been revealed, and you can find many photos of it on the internet. This is not a secret.
However, this highly realistic simulation system used for training is being publicly revealed for the first time.
Ali_Baba
VIP Member
This is the first i have seen of it. If you have a collection of photos, would be useful to see here for everyone.
Shui
Registered Member
I started to follow defence news because of J-20, fifteen years already.
Michael
VIP Member
It seems you are very young.
I received military education from elementary school onwards (a mandatory measure at the time), and I've been a military enthusiast since childhood.
Beijingwalker
VIP Member
China set to supercharge fifth-gen J-20 stealth fighter with radar, engine and AI upgrades
Analyst tells state media Mighty Dragon’s airborne weapons are expected to have a longer range and stronger anti-interference capabilities
Published: 6:00pm, 11 Jan 2026
China is set to supercharge the advanced J-20 stealth fighter with avionics upgrades on its radar, engines and AI integration to cement the fifth-generation jet’s pivotal position in aerial warfare, a military analyst told state media.
The Mighty Dragon, China’s answer to the American F-22 “Raptor”, was also effectively operating alongside the country’s stealth attack drone and early warning aircraft, military commentator Zhang Xuefeng told state broadcaster CCTV in a programme released on Saturday.
Sunday marks the 15th anniversary of the Chinese home-grown jet’s maiden flight in Chengdu on January 11, 2011. It officially entered active service in March 2017.
The twin-engined single-seater has since been seen as a symbol of the Chinese military’s modernisation and the best hope of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) against the most advanced stealth fighters of the US Air Force.
Developer Chengdu Aircraft Corporation has given the J-20 a shape that reduces reflection, a radar-absorbent coating and an internal weapons bay. In addition to that stealth technology, the fifth-generation fighter jet has supersonic cruise capabilities, super manoeuvrability and super avionics.
Analysts said internal advancements would come next and existing technology was expected to be refined.
“It needs to improve the performance of its avionics system, such as its radar and infrared searching and tracking,” Zhang said.
“Its airborne weapons, or air-to-air missiles, will undoubtedly have increasingly longer ranges and stronger anti-interference capabilities. It is also crucial to continuously upgrade its engines.”
The J-20s initially used Russian Saturn AL-31 engines before switching in September 2021 to WS-10C engines made and designed in China, and now use the advanced WS-15 engine.
Zhang also said AI integration, a worldwide military trend, would be a highlight of future developments.
“If we equip our J-20s with an AI system in the future, it will be like having an extra assistant, which will enable the aircraft to leverage AI in air combat, particularly in medium-to-long-range and beyond-visual-range [BVR] battles to maximise the aircraft’s performance.”
China operates several variants of the J-20, including the upgraded J-20A and twin-seater J-20S, and produces about 120 of the aircraft a year.
The J-20S is the world’s first two-seater stealth jet. One pilot focuses on flying and weaponry, while the other is expected to command a swarm of drones. The prototype was first unveiled in 2021 and made its official debut in 2024.
In November, the Chinese air force released the first footage of the country’s crewed and uncrewed aircraft working together.
The video showed the GJ-11 stealth attack drone flying in formation with the J-20, as well as the J-16D fighter, a variant of the J-16 with a focus on electronic warfare. The drone was flying in front of the other two aircraft, highlighting its role in getting closer to targets than manned fighters.
Zhang told CCTV that this trio formation enhanced the capabilities of the stealth fighters.
“While [the GJ-11] is mainly used to strike enemy ground and sea targets, the J-20 can leverage its capabilities to assume aerial supremacy to clear obstacles for the GJ-11’s operations, further boosting the GJ-11’s performance.”
The GJ-11 is a stealth attack drone that entered service by 2019 when it appeared in the military parade that October.
Last year, a drone believed to be a GJ-11 naval variant appeared in China’s Victory Day parade, where Beijing said all equipment displayed was in service.
China is also developing two sixth-generation stealth fighter jets – unofficially dubbed the J-36 and J-50. They drew global attention when they made maiden flights in 2024 and have since been spotted on more test flights.
China set to supercharge radar, engine and AI in fifth-gen J-20 stealth fighter
Analyst tells state media Mighty Dragon’s airborne weapons are expected to have a longer range and stronger anti-interference capabilities.
www.scmp.com
Beijingwalker
VIP Member
Details of upgraded J-20A, J-20S stealth aircraft unveiled by official media amid 15th anniv. of J-20’s maiden flight
Source Global Times2026-01-11 22:54:38
A J-20 stealth fighter jet attached to the PLA Air Force taxies on the runway before takeoff during the 2025 aviation open-day activities of the Chinese PLA Air Force and Changchun Air Show in Changchun City, northeast China's Jilin Province, on September 21, 2025. (eng.chinamil.com.cn/Photo by Chen Jiayue)
Chinese official media unveiled more details about two upgraded versions of the J-20 stealth fighter jet, the J-20A and the J-20S, on Sunday, the 15th anniversary of the J-20's maiden flight, highlighting the continuous evolution of the J-20 series aircraft.
The J-20A and the J-20S made their public debuts at China's V-Day military parade on September 3, 2025, China Military Bugle, an official media account under the PLA News Media Center, noted in a social media post on WeChat in celebration of the 15th anniversary of the J-20's maiden flight on Sunday. One J-20S, two J-20As and two J-20s formed an arrow-shaped echelon in a fly-past during the parade, but no further details about the two new version were revealed at the time.
The J-20 and J-20A aircraft are heavy-duty stealth single-seat multirole fighters independently developed by China, boasting outstanding precision strike capability, situational awareness and maneuverability. The J-20A can be regarded as an upgraded variant of the J-20, serving as a spearhead force for future air combat operations, China Central Television (CCTV) News reported on Sunday.
Citing military affairs expert Zhang Xuefeng, CCTV News reported that in terms of external design, the J-20A features a raised section at the junction between the rear of its canopy and the fuselage. The initial version of the J-20 was designed with a taller canopy that afforded excellent all-directional visibility, but with the modifications, the canopy of the J-20A blends more smoothly with the fuselage. This design minimizes airflow separation at the rear of the canopy and reduces drag, which is highly conducive to supersonic flight and supersonic cruise.
This raised section at the rear of the canopy also allows for the installation of new equipment and systems - and theoretically, even additional fuel. Extra space translates directly to enhanced performance capabilities, Zhang said.
Fu Qianshao, another Chinese military affairs expert, told the Global Times that a possible reason why the J-20A could raise the rear section of the canopy for additional benefits is that the pilot no longer needs to rely on the naked eye for all-directional visibility. It is likely that the J-20A is also equipped with upgraded avionics systems and sensors that directly provide the pilot with situational awareness information.
The raised section and the potentially installation of new equipment could also lead to increased weight. To offset this, Fu said that the J-20A could be equipped with more powerful engines.
The J-20A must have received comprehensive upgrades, not just in the outside, but also inside, to warrant the "A" in its designation, Fu said.
Another new member in the J-20 series, the J-20S, is a heavy-duty stealth multirole fighter independently developed by China, and also the world's first twin-seat stealth fighter. It boasts exceptional medium-and long-range air superiority capabilities, precision strike capabilities against ground and maritime targets, as well as prominent situational awareness, electronic jamming and tactical command and control capabilities, and is capable of conducting manned-unmanned teaming operations, CCTV News said.
With an additional pilot on board, the J-20S is capable of conducting forward tactical command. In this role, the aircraft functions much like a playmaker in a football team, capable of either achieving objectives on its own or directing other platforms to accomplish missions, Zhang said.
The rear-seat pilot enables more precise control of drones and coordination with them, thereby maximizing the effectiveness of the entire combat system, Zhang said.
Fu said that the J-20 series aircraft have kept receiving new upgrades and modifications, and with their continuous improvements, they have become main types of warplanes in active service of the Chinese military, acting as the mainstays in safeguarding the country's airspace security.
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