People compare the count of how many F-35s have been built versus how many China J-20 stealth have been built. There is a comparison of the annual production rate. However, a very important comparison is how many of them are fully available, fully usable and fully capable are they to perform their needed roles?
Are the F-35 and the China J-20 Stealth Fighters Fully Available for Actual Use?
The US is developing upgraded engines.
The US is getting F-35s at up to 156 per year. In 2023, there is a slowdown to get the TR3 upgrade package. There will be about 97 F-35s delivered in 2023 with the TR2 package.
The US Air force has over ten active F-22 squadrons and several active squadrons of F-35s.
There is a 2022 study of US air force pilot flight hours per month.
How Stealthy Really?
Based upon the larger size and other configurations of the J-20 it would be more visible to radar than the F-35.
The radar cross-section (RCS) of the J-20 is higher than the F-35. The J-20 has a triangular design and wide frame, which increases its RCS. However, the J-20 is equipped with radar-absorbing material and electronic countermeasures to reduce the likelihood of detection. The F-35 has an RCS equal to a metal golf ball, or about 0.0015 square meters. The F-35 has a lower RCS than the F-117 and is comparable to the B-2. The J-20 would have an radar cross section of about 0.01 square meters. Having a four to ten times larger radar cross section means using equal radar the American plane would spot the J-20 at twice the distance. Planes travel about 2 miles every ten seconds at the speed of sound. If two planes were flying towards each other then they would be closing the gap at about twice the speed of sound. The lower observable F-35 would spot the J-20 about 1-2 minutes before the J-20 could spot the F-35.
Stealthy fighters can still be seen by radar but they get closer before they are detected.
Brian Wang is a Futurist Thought Leader and a popular Science blogger with 1 million readers per month. His blog Nextbigfuture.com is ranked #1 Science News Blog. It covers many disruptive technology and trends including Space, Robotics, Artificial Intelligence, Medicine, Anti-aging Biotechnology, and Nanotechnology.
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The J 20 is typical vapor ware like all advanced Chinese and Russian hardware. Like a scarecrow in the cornfield it scares away birdbrains.
Would be a real slug fest for about a 3 weeks with these high end fighters. Funny things… they’re not effective against the bedouin fighters we’ve engaged repeatedly over the last 30 years and would attrit quickly in a conflict against more equal foe. These weapons systems do seem to be effective at keeping Engineers employed (middle class welfare). Growing up, I was in awe of these war machines; had posters of F15s, F16s, F18s on my bedroom walls. Now, I just think they are stupid for anything other than interception (escorting trespassers, or shooting down hijacked airliners over PA).
As a total dilettant, J-20 is a way better-looking plane I would say
I noticed there was almost no J-20 information. If you have no source for that info why include them?
I saw two F18’s and two F35’s take off on a business trip toward Alaska. Yes they are in service. The reason I know it was a business trip is time of day, flight pattern over the city, and the F18’s used the after burner on take off. The F18 pilots were on emergency duty standby. The F35 pilots took off five minutes later because they came from their homes on the air base.