China beating Russia in 5th-gen fighter race: Military Parade



The J-20 prototype 2012. (Internet Photo)

China is developing a fifth-generation stealth fighter faster than Russia, reports the Moscow-based Military Parade.

China has produced at least six prototypes of the J-20, the country's 5th-generation stealth fighter, since the first aircraft was revealed to the public in late 2010, according to the report. The latest J-20, stamped with a new 2015 serial number, completed its first test flight on Dec. 19. China successfully put its J-20 prototype 2011 into the air with a J-10S escort fighter on March 1 and performed a high-speed taxi test four months later with the 2012 prototype.

On Nov. 29, the J-20 prototype 2013 finished another test flight in Chengdu, considered the fifth J-20 since the launch of the aircraft coded 2001 four years ago. Unlike the 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2015, a photo of prototype 2014 was never released to the public. Together with the first two aircraft 2001 and 2002, both shown to the public, China must have at least six J-20 fighters now, according to the report.

Russia currently has five experimental Sukhoi T-50 aircraft. However, the fifth T-50 fighter caught fire during an aerial performance in front of an Indian delegation in June. The Russian pilot bailed out before the plane crashed into the ground, said the report.

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