The characteristic stealth shapes and angles are clearly based on the F22. Their cyber-espionage appears to be paying off.
'The J-20 has a canard delta layout (like Chengdu’s J-10) with two canted, all-moving vertical stabilizers (like the T-50) and smaller canted ventral fins. The stealth body shaping is similar to that of the F-22. The flat body sides are aligned with the canted tails, the wing-body junction is clean, and there is a sharp chine line around the forward fuselage. The cant angles are greater than they are on the Lockheed Martin F-35, and the frameless canopy is similar to that of the F-22.'
Nothing about the fact that the J-20 looks like the F-22 implies cyber-espionage. If I were trying to build a stealth fighter, the first thing I'd do is look at pictures of it and make something that looks similar. (Since aviation week, or whoever, was able to tell what the angles of the J-20 are, I assume China would have no problem figuring out the shape of the F-22 from the numerous pictures available.) Even if you just knew the idea of shaping the plane to deflect radar signals, you'd probably end up with something similar. I expect that the really important stuff is in things not in the pictures: materials to use, paint to use, paints not to use, how to make non-radar-reflective joints/weapons/mounts, how to get good aerodynamics with all those sharp edges, etc.
Yes, but will it blend? errr, I mean will it actually be invisible to SAM batteries?
Copying the general shapes and design aren't going to get you very far if you don't get the details right, or work out your own. My guess is they actually did put a good deal of engineering into this.
One has to wonder that by the time manned stealth air-superiority fighters are deployed, whether they will be operationally inferior to, and greatly outnumbered by, adversary air-superiority fighter UAVs.
What a waste of resources on behalf of pilot-dominated air forces.
[+] [-] SkyMarshal|15 years ago|reply
'The J-20 has a canard delta layout (like Chengdu’s J-10) with two canted, all-moving vertical stabilizers (like the T-50) and smaller canted ventral fins. The stealth body shaping is similar to that of the F-22. The flat body sides are aligned with the canted tails, the wing-body junction is clean, and there is a sharp chine line around the forward fuselage. The cant angles are greater than they are on the Lockheed Martin F-35, and the frameless canopy is similar to that of the F-22.'
http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/jsp_includes/articlePrint.jsp...
[+] [-] prewett|15 years ago|reply
[+] [-] burgerbrain|15 years ago|reply
Copying the general shapes and design aren't going to get you very far if you don't get the details right, or work out your own. My guess is they actually did put a good deal of engineering into this.
[+] [-] dawgr|15 years ago|reply
[+] [-] kznewman|15 years ago|reply
http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/jsp_includes/articlePrint.jsp...
2c, I think the fixation on 4th-Gen, 5th-Gen or whatever is distracting. How fast, how far, How much would be more interesting questions.
[+] [-] SlipperySlope|15 years ago|reply
What a waste of resources on behalf of pilot-dominated air forces.
[+] [-] unknown|15 years ago|reply
[deleted]
[+] [-] mattiask|15 years ago|reply