J-20 stealth fighter jet remains in research phase
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A senior air force officer said Thursday that China's fourth generation military aircrafts, including the J-20 stealth fighter jet, are still in the research stage and more tests are necessary before they are put into general use.
Zhu Heping, deputy president of the People's Liberation Army's (PLA) Air Force Command College and a delegate to the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), told the Global Times Thursday that more time is needed to work on the J-20 fighter jet to make it air force ready.
Zhu declined to predict when the J-20 would be completely ready.
"It's difficult to say," Zhu said.
In a separate interview with the Xinhua News Agency, Zhu said the J-20 was designed to protect the airspace over China.
"We are confident about the stealth fighter jet," he said.
Yin Zhou, a delegate to the CPPCC, told Xinhua that the stealth fighter jet could be used to secure China's airspace in the event of a threat.
China revealed the J-20 in Chengdu, Sichuan Province in January.
The test flight coincided with US Defense Secretary Robert Gates' visit to Beijing.
The successful test flight was followed by widespread speculation around the world about Beijing's military prowess.
Chinese defense officials and military analysts insisted in late January that the country's J-20 stealth fighter jet is the result of technological innovation, refuting published allegations it was built from technology gleaned from a downed US fighter.
Xu Yongling, one of China's top test pilots, told the Global Times earlier that the stealth fighter jet has an advanced supersonic cruise ability and powerful air mobility that are technological breakthroughs for the country.
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