China’s J-20 stealth fighter makes first static display as 300th jet appears
China publicly displayed its J-20 stealth fighter on static ground for the first time at the 2025 Changchun Air Show, alongside confirmation that the 300th jet has entered service.
China’s People’s Liberation Army Air Force publicly showcased its
J-20 stealth fighter on static ground display for the first time at the 2025 Changchun Air Show, a notable shift from its usual flyover-only appearances. The event also marked a production milestone, with observers confirming the presence of the 300th J-20, highlighting Beijing’s rapid expansion of its most advanced operational fighter. The move signals growing confidence in the aircraft and carries implications for regional airpower balance.
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The J-20 incorporates a canard-delta wing configuration, diverterless supersonic intakes, and an internal weapons bay arrangement designed to minimize radar signature. (Picture source: Global Times)
Previously, on September 9, 2025, the X account
PLA Military Updates posted older images of a J-20 fighter aircraft of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Air Force configured in what it described as its beast mode. According to the information provided, the aircraft carried a total of twelve PL-15 long-range air-to-air missiles and two PL-10 short-range air-to-air missiles. Eight PL-15s were mounted externally on pylons, while four PL-15s and two PL-10s were carried internally in the aircraft’s bays. The post added that this arrangement reduces the aircraft’s low observable characteristics but, if supported by a KJ-500 airborne early warning aircraft, the J-20 could act as a missile-launching platform guided by external sensors under an “A guide B shoot” concept.
The PL-15 is an active radar-guided beyond-visual-range missile that has been in service since the mid-2010s and is currently the primary long-range armament of the PLAAF. It is produced by the China Airborne Missile Academy and uses a dual-pulse solid rocket motor, enabling high speeds reported above Mach 5 and an operational range estimated between 200 and 300 kilometers. The PL-15E export version, sold to Pakistan, has a reduced range of about 145 kilometers. In May 2025, during the India–Pakistan conflict, the PL-15 and PL-15E were used operationally by the Pakistan Air Force, marking their first recorded combat use. Pakistani J-10C aircraft employed the missiles against Indian Air Force assets, with a Rafale among the aircraft downed. Debris of PL-15E missiles was later found in Indian territory, confirming their use and providing material for assessment of the missile’s capabilities and limitations.
The PL-10 serves as the J-20’s short-range missile complement, carried in the aircraft’s lateral bays. It is an infrared-guided missile designed by the Luoyang Electro-Optics Technology Development Centre and has been in production since 2013. It uses an imaging infrared seeker capable of off-boresight angles of ±90 degrees, coupled with a thrust-vectoring solid rocket motor and aerodynamic strakes that allow maneuverability at over 60Gs. Its range is cited at up to 20 kilometers, giving the J-20 a short-range engagement option in addition to its long-range missile armament. The PL-10 can be cued by the pilot’s helmet-mounted display for “look and shoot” engagements, and its lock-on-after-launch capability allows mid-course updates through datalink before final homing. Assessments in open sources state that the PL-10’s overall capabilities place it in the same class as European IRIS-T or ASRAAM systems, and comparable or superior in kinematic performance to the U.S. AIM-9X.
The
J-20 itself is a fifth-generation stealth fighter developed by Chengdu Aircraft Corporation under the J-XX program and introduced into service in March 2017. The aircraft first flew in January 2011 and was officially revealed in 2016. It employs a canard-delta layout with diverterless supersonic intakes, a blended fuselage, and internal bays intended to maintain low observability. Its design integrates low-observable shaping, radar-absorbent coatings, and serrated exhaust nozzles on newer engines. The J-20 is designed primarily for air superiority roles, but it is capable of precision strikes as well. By September 2025, more than 300 J-20s had been produced, making it one of the largest stealth fighter fleets in service. In addition to the standard single-seat version, two significant variants have been developed: the upgraded J-20A and the twin-seat J-20S. Both were formally confirmed as part of the PLAAF arsenal on September 3, 2025.
In terms of avionics, the J-20 is equipped with an active electronically scanned array radar, distributed electro-optical sensors, and an infrared search-and-track system. These sensors feed into a glass cockpit that features a wide-angle holographic heads-up display and a large multifunction display. A helmet-mounted display system allows pilots to direct high off-boresight weapons such as the PL-10. The aircraft’s networking and sensor fusion architecture allow it to engage in data sharing with platforms such as the KJ-500 airborne early warning aircraft, enabling coordinated engagements where detection and missile guidance can be handled externally. This makes the “A guide B shoot” concept viable, where the J-20 launches long-range missiles cued by off-board sensors rather than its own radar, minimizing exposure and emissions.
Powering the J-20 are currently Shenyang WS-10C engines, which provide supercruise capability and are equipped with serrated afterburner nozzles to reduce radar cross-section. The WS-15, a higher-thrust turbofan capable of producing around 180 kilonewtons, is under integration and is expected to enhance maneuverability, range, and potential future power requirements for sensors or directed-energy systems. Aircraft dimensions are listed as 21.2 meters in length, with a wingspan of 13.01 meters, and a maximum takeoff weight of 37,000 kilograms. Its maximum speed is around Mach 2, service ceiling 20,000 meters, and combat radius approximately 2,000 kilometers. The aircraft can carry up to 11,000 kilograms of weapons across its internal bays and external pylons, which is the basis for the observed beast mode configuration.
Operationally, the beast mode arrangement reflects a tactical shift from stealth-optimized missions to high-capacity missile carriage. In stealth mode, the J-20 carries four medium or long-range air-to-air missiles internally, plus two short-range missiles in the side bays, with no external stores to minimize detection. In beast mode, it accepts the loss of stealth to mount additional weapons on under-wing pylons, expanding its missile load for missions where air defense suppression has already taken place or where permissive airspace is available. Analysts consider this configuration suitable for long-range patrols, massed missile engagements against adversary aircraft, or coordinated operations with supporting platforms that provide sensor data. The September 9 photographs, therefore, highlight a doctrinal flexibility in PLAAF operations, showing that the J-20 can be configured either for survivability in high-threat environments or for maximum firepower when conditions permit.
China’s J-20 stealth fighter made its first static display at the Changchun Air Show as the 300th jet enters service, underscoring production scale.
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