China outlines J-20 stealth fighter’s role in intercepting foreign warplanes by releasing footage that may show rare encounter with F-35

State broadcaster airs footage of the country’s most advanced warplanes carrying out operations over the East China Sea

The planes are the only Chinese fighters capable of matching advanced jets such as the F-35s flown by the US and Japan

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Introduced in 2017, China’s J-20 was the first non-US stealth fighter to enter service. Photo: Weibo

Published: 8:44pm, 18 Jan 2023Updated: 12:52am, 19 Jan 2023

Chinese most advanced stealth fighter J-20 is playing a leading role in intercepting planes over the East China Sea and Taiwan Strait, according to state media reports.

Military observers believe the fifth generation warplanes are the best equipped to confront foreign stealth fighters such as the F-35s of the United States or Japan.

On Monday state broadcaster CCTV aired a video of a J-20 squadron, saying it had done an “excellent job on regular patrols and controlling the East China Sea Air Defence Identification Zone” (ADIZ).

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Stealth fighters are usually not the first choice for “simple” tasks like interception and identification of foreign warplanes in the ADIZ because of their high operational costs and need to keep their radar evasion parameters secret, according to Macau-based military commentator Antony Wong Dong.

But when the incoming aircraft appears to be a stealth fighter with super cruise, super manoeuvrability and advanced avionics, only a peer stealth fighter is able to track and intercept.

“It sounds reasonable that J-20s were sent to intercept and identify when the US or Japanese stealth fighters approach,” he said.

Last March, US Pacific Air Forces Commander Kenneth Wilsbach said there had been “a close encounter” between a J-20 and F-35 over the East China Sea. It was the first known confrontation between two stealth fighters.

China outlines J-20 stealth fighter’s role in intercepting foreign warplanes by releasing footage that may show rare encounter with F-35

State broadcaster airs footage of the country’s most advanced warplanes carrying out operations over the East China Sea The planes are the only Chinese fighters capable of matching advanced jets such as the F-35s flown by the US and Japan

State broadcaster airs footage of the country’s most advanced warplanes carrying out operations over the East China Sea

The planes are the only Chinese fighters capable of matching advanced jets such as the F-35s flown by the US and Japan