China is close to unveiling the world's second stealth aircraft after the successful maiden flight of the "2017" prototype last week. This was revealed after news of a red carpet launch ceremony in a facility at Chengdu was reported by Popular Science.
The "2017" prototype is the eigth in the line of J-20 jets that China has been developing in the past few years. It is classified as a fifth-generation stealth fighter. This category is considered the most advanced jet fighter generation to date. Today, the only other fifth-generation stealth aircraft in existence is the Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor, which has been used by the U.S. Air Force since 2005.
"2017" is reportedly close to production configuration and it could begin flying for the Chinese Air Force as early as 2017. There is no comprehensive information available about its specifications. It also does not help that its recent test flights are being conducted in a northern China location to keep it away from view.
But insights can be obtained in its previous iterations, which so far demonstrated features such as advanced radars, sensors, stealth features, cutting-edge weapon system and jammers, among other features. It could also use the new technology that Chinese researchers discovered recently, which involves a radar-absorbing material that is ten times thinner than what is available today, Popular Mechanics previously reported.
The "2017" will also beat another Chinese fifth-generation stealth aircraft called Gyrfalcon, which had its international debut in this year's Dubai Air Show. This jet will purportedly reach full operational capability in 2024, The Diplomat reported.
