PLA parades its latest world-class military equipment in demonstration of nation's growing superiority in the air

China's People's Liberation Army showcased all five models of its fifth-generation combat aircraft in active duty for the first time at the grand V-Day parade in Beijing on Wednesday, a move that observers said intended to demonstrate its world-class air prowess.

The models, the J-20, J-20A, J-20S and J-35A of the PLA Air Force as well as the PLA Navy's J-35, thundered past Tian'anmen Square in central Beijing in flying wedge formations toward the end of a 70-minute parade marking the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War.

It marked the first time that all five models of the cutting-edge stealth fighter jets have appeared in a single parade.

READ MORE: Ground-based air-defense and anti-ballistic missile systems shine at V-Day parade

It also marked the maiden public showing of the J-20S, the world's first and only twin-seat stealth jet; the J-20A, an upgraded single-seat variant of the J-20 baseline configuration; and the J-35, the Navy's first radar-evading combat plane.

Wang Yanan, chief editor of Aerospace Knowledge magazine, told China Daily that it was the first time in the history of the People's Republic of China that so much new hardware had been used in a parade.

"What we have seen is an unprecedented unveiling of China's domestically developed weaponry, such as those new aircraft. All of these previously unseen weapons have state-of-the-art designs and superior capabilities, and have tremendously enhanced the Chinese armed forces' overall strength," Wang said.

"Specifically, the appearance of the J-20 and J-35 families on a considerable scale means that the Air Force and Navy are in the middle of a systemic transformation that highlights the core role of fifth-generation types, namely these stealth jets," he said, adding that the PLA is likely to be ahead of other militaries around the globe in terms of establishing a comprehensive fifth-generation air combat system.

According to a statement published before the V-Day parade by a temporary command in charge of the event's aircraft squadrons, the new military planes "have been deployed to handle high-intensity warfare", while their appearance was meant to "reflect the PLA's strength to deter adversaries and safeguard China's airspace".

Enhanced variants

The J-20S, like other members in the J-20 family, was designed by the Chengdu Aircraft Design and Research Institute, an Aviation Industry Corp of China (AVIC) subsidiary in Sichuan province. It was declassified in November last year, appearing in the form of a small-scale mock-up at the 15th China International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition in Zhuhai, Guangdong province.

According to designers at AVIC, the J-20S is a heavy-duty radar-evading fighter with long-range operation and multifunction capabilities.

The twin-seat plane is characterized by its supreme ability to seize air superiority in combat, to carry out precision strikes against land and sea targets, and in its battlefield situational awareness, electronic jamming, as well as in tactical command and control operations.

In addition to conventional tasks, the J-20S can coordinate with unmanned aircraft in combat, designers said.

Fu Qianshao, an aircraft researcher who served in the Air Force for decades, said the jet is likely to be tasked with conducting electronic warfare operations or guiding unmanned aircraft to hit enemy targets.

"The additional operator in the backseat is responsible for controlling electronic warfare instruments or coordinating the jet's own strike operations and attack drones'. His or her work can enable the J-20S to better use precision-guided munitions and connect with airborne early-warning and control systems," he said. "It is better to have an operator to focus on these extended functions because a single pilot would be too busy to take care of all of those tasks in real air combat."

The extra seat will bring more than just these benefits, the veteran researcher added.

"The twin-seat variant can have a backup flight-control system installed for the backseat operator to use in case the main system malfunctions or is damaged in action, or if the front-seat pilot is incapacitated.

"It can also be used to train new aviators to familiarize them with the cutting-edge fighter jet as quickly as possible," Fu said.

The J-20 baseline model is China's first stealth combat aircraft. It sparked nationwide enthusiasm on Jan 11, 2011, after its maiden flight was revealed to the public.

Code-named the Mighty Dragon, it made its public debut on Nov 1, 2016. It entered service with the Air Force later that year, becoming only the world's third stealth fighter jet to enter service following the F-22 Raptor and F-35 Lightning II from the United States.

Another J-20 variant on display, the J-20A, has several external differences with the baseline model. It features an enlarged spine, a reshaped nose cone and modified intakes optimized for new, more powerful domestically developed engines.

Its engines are widely believed to have thrust vector control technology that provides significant benefits in flight maneuverability.

The technology enables a pilot to adjust the engine exhaust nozzles to redirect thrust, allowing the plane to carry out previously unimaginable maneuvers at very high angles of attack, meaning its nose is pointed at an angle greatly exceeding the jet's current vector.

This capability is expected to greatly assist fighter pilots when evading a missile or seeking an advantageous position in within-visual-range air combat.

In addition to stunning tactical maneuvers, the new powerplants may also bring about higher fuel efficiency and longer flight range.

Wang from Aerospace Knowledge said the J-20A's optimized aerodynamic configuration, especially the slightly raised spine, has created more internal space that can be used for extra sensors or fuel tanks.

"Raising the spine is not feasible for previous types of fighter jets because their pilots depend more or less on their bare eyes to spot suspicious objects, so their cockpit canopy should have a 360-degree visual field, particularly in the backward direction.

"Now, thanks to avionics enhancements and sensor improvements, a J-20A pilot no longer needs to turn his or her head to observe situations behind, as several passive electro-optical sensors mounted around the fuselage can give the aviator an omnidirectional view," the editor explained, adding that the redesigned spine also helps to reduce aerodynamic drag.

Another recent addition to the Air Force's stealth arsenal, the J-35A, also took part in the parade.

Designed by AVIC's Shenyang Aircraft Design and Research Institute in Liaoning province, the J-35A is a single-seat, twin-engine stealth multirole fighter with a conventional aerodynamic configuration.

According to its designers, the jet's primary task is to seize and maintain air superiority, with a secondary mission of carrying out air strikes against land and sea targets.

The jet will be used to engage with hostile aircraft, including fighters and bombers, hit down enemy cruise missiles, and eliminate land- and ship-based air defense hardware.

Wang Mingzhi, a senior researcher in the Air Force, said the J-20 series and J-35A will complement each other in air combat in the future.

"The heavy-duty J-20 models will be used to fight for air dominance, while the midsize J-35A will be suitable for various kinds of operations ranging from engaging with hostile fighters to precision assault against land and sea targets," he said.

The J-35A made its maiden public flight at the 15th China International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition last year, shortly after it was declassified by the Air Force.

Following the recent delivery of the first batch of J-35As, China has become only the second nation, after the US, to have two families of stealth fighter jets in active service.

Besides these new fighter jets, the Air Force also sent a re-engined version of its Y-20 strategic transport aircraft to fly in the parade.

Compared with the baseline model in the Y-20 family, the Y-20B cargo jet's most distinctive trait is its new propulsion system, which appears to consist of four domestically designed high-bypass turbofan engines.

The Y-20's baseline configuration made its maiden flight in January 2013, with deliveries to the Air Force from July 2016. It uses four Russian engines as powerplants.

Wang Yanan said that the new domestically built engine has stronger thrust and lower fuel consumption, which means the Y-20B is now able to fly farther and carry more cargo.

Consequently, the new transport aircraft allows the PLA to deploy and sustain its forces over much greater distances, as befitting a true global power, he added.

On the ground, multiple new types of combat drones were carried by truck in the parade, pointing to the possibility that the Air Force may place more duties on unmanned aircraft.

Wu Peixin, an aviation industry observer, said that it has been a common trend among air powers to integrate their stealth fighters with uncrewed platforms.

"A stealth jet is very expensive and sophisticated, while a drone is much cheaper and is expendable," Wu said. "In air combat, pilots of stealth jets can operate and guide a group of strike drones to launch missiles toward targets and even hit the targets by themselves, without risking the safety of the pilots and their jets.

"Those unmanned planes will also be able to detect the signals of enemy assets and then autonomously chart out a route to penetrate their defenses and take out the targets," he said.

The use of this new pattern has the potential to revolutionize air combat in the future, he added.

Navy soars

During the aircraft performance in the V-Day parade, the Navy showed a host of its latest assets, including the J-35, the branch's first stealth jet.

Designed for carrier deployment, the J-35 can be launched by both the ski-jump takeoff system used by China's carriers CNS Liaoning and CNS Shandong, and the electromagnetic catapult on CNS Fujian, the nation's third aircraft carrier that is in the final stage of its sea trials.

The model is characterized by its low-observable design, state-of-the-art manufacturing techniques, a world-class radar and cutting-edge sensors, as well as a wide range of munition options.

Zhang Xuefeng, a military hardware observer and retired PLA officer, said that the exterior of the J-35 looks "smooth and clean", typical of stealth designs. Together with China's unique radar-absorbing composite materials, it makes the new fighter a leader among such planes globally in terms of stealth performance.

"Its delivery has brought a major power upgrade to the Chinese naval aviation force," he said.

Song Zhongping, a military affairs commentator and another PLA veteran, said that though the J-15, the first carrier-borne fighter jet deployed in China's carrier force, has capabilities comparable to its foreign rivals of the same generation, it is not good enough to confront next-generation aircraft with stealth capability. He said it is necessary for China to field a type of naval stealth fighter to handle challenges from neighboring navies equipped with such jets.

"Upon its deployment, the J-35 can team up with the J-15 in air combat and strike operations. The J-35's biggest edge is stealth capability, and it also has huge strength in fleet defense operations. The combination of the J-15 and J-35 will enable each of them to give play to their advantages in tasks," Song said.

Another feature in the carrier-borne aircraft squadron was the public debut of the KJ-600 early-warning and control plane.

Codeveloped by aircraft designers at AVIC and radar researchers from China Electronics Technology Group Corp, one of the world's largest suppliers of defense electronics, the KJ-600 is the fourth fixed-wing early-warning and control plane deployed by the Navy, and also the largest, heaviest and most capable of its kind to be used on Chinese aircraft carriers.

It's expected to be used on the CNS Fujian after the carrier completes its sea trials and put into service in the coming months.

The KJ-600 is propelled by two turboprop engines, and sports a high-mounted wing, a quad-fin tail, tricycle gear and a large dorsal rotodome, which analysts have claimed houses an active electronically scanned array radar.

The use of a quad-fin tail promises safety and stability during takeoff and landing on a carrier, and suits the limited space inside the hangar.

Xiong Jia, a defense technology observer, said that in naval warfare, the ability to detect incoming hostile objects from as far away as possible is crucial to ensuring the safety of a ship.

"Because of the greater detection distance, defense preparations can be more thorough. However, shipborne radars are constrained by a host of factors, so they are unable to spot and track hostile targets at long range," Xiong said. "For instance, the curvature of the Earth greatly restricts their detection range for low-altitude targets. Therefore, carrier-based early-warning aircraft is essential."

Carrier-based early-warning helicopters also lag far behind fixed-wing aircraft in almost every aspect, such as patrol and detection ranges, flight speed and altitude, multi-target tracking capability, weapons guidance function and operational time, he said.

"China must develop hardware like the KJ-600 to better facilitate defense and strike missions of its carrier groups," Xiong added.

Zhang said the KJ-600 is the final component needed to complete China's carrier force combat system, significantly enhancing the fighting prowess of carrier strike groups.

"An important role of carriers is to conduct land and sea strike missions, which requires the group to make forward deployments and move beyond the detection and support range of land-based radars. With fixed-wing early-warning and control aircraft, they can be deployed far from shore to undertake reconnaissance and attack tasks," he said.

In addition to the manned planes, the Navy unveiled its first large shipborne drone. It is expected to be fielded aboard amphibious assault ships.

According to naval arms analysts, the stealth drone can be used for long-range surveillance, reconnaissance and assault missions.

Another unmanned naval platform that broke cover at the parade was the first pilotless rotorcraft developed by China for ship use. It is suitable for surveillance, reconnaissance, communications relay and counter-submarine tasks.

Airspace assignments

The responsibility of safeguarding China's airspace is not placed solely on combat aircraft. Ground-based air-defense and anti-ballistic missile systems are another significant component in defending against incoming air threats.

To display its multistage, multilayer air and missile defense network, the Air Force brought six types of advanced systems to the parade.

The occasion marked the public debut of the HQ-20 and HQ-22A anti-aircraft missile system and the HQ-29 exoatmospheric missile interception system. Another three types, the HQ-11, HQ-9C and HQ-19, have been included in Chinese defense shows in recent years.

According to Zhang, the HQ-11, HQ-20 and HQ-22A are primarily tasked with engaging with conventional threats, and can effectively intercept fixed-wing aircraft, drones, cruise missiles, and even short- and medium-range ballistic missiles.

The HQ-9C is tasked to protect key assets from incoming planes and can also perform terminal low-altitude missile interception tasks within the atmosphere. Its interception altitude is expected to be several tens of kilometers, he said.

ALSO READ: All types of fifth-generation combat planes displayed at V-Day parade

The HQ-19, unveiled for the first time in November last year, has been designed for regional protection against ballistic missiles at the high-altitude terminal phase, and is characterized as having large coverage and strong countermeasures. These traits make it part of the backbone of China's homeland air defense and missile interception operations, according to Zhang.

"The combination of the HQ-9 series and the HQ-19 will form a powerful, multilayer network to keep our important assets safe from threats from the air and exoatmosphere," the observer said.

Wang Yanan said that in addition to conventional ballistic missiles, the HQ-19 is able to defend against hypersonic glide vehicle weapons that have extremely fast speed and supreme agility. As a cutting-edge piece of strike hardware, the hypersonic glide vehicle weapon is virtually impossible to intercept by previous air-defense missiles and poses a significant threat to high-value assets.

Another of China's arsenal making its public debut at the parade was the HQ-29, the largest surface-to-air missile system China has ever shown. It is likely a mid-course interceptor designed to engage threats outside the Earth's atmosphere.

What appeared in the parade were the system's six-axle twin-canister mobile launch vehicles, which are also likely to have at least one integrated radar and command vehicle for each unit.

Analysts have pointed to its large-diameter launch canisters and dual-missile configuration as possible indicators of a design meant to boost interception odds against fast and maneuvering ballistic targets.

Zhang said that the HQ-29 has further expanded the scope of China's missile defense operations.

"It is capable of intercepting ballistic missiles during their mid-course phase outside the atmosphere, before they descend toward their targets," he said.

"Notably, the HQ-29 can achieve mobile launches from wherever its launch vehicle can reach. That means its launch sites can be flexibly selected to address threats from different directions. In contrast, most of the current land-based mid-course missile defense systems are launched from silos, which leads to some constraints in their operations," he added.

Several laser and microwave weapon systems also took part in the parade, and were introduced as being suitable for counter-drone tasks.

Contact the writer at zhaolei@chinadaily.com.cn