China's New J-20 Fighter Jet Has One Advantage Over The West

The United States has been busy over the past 20+ years developing its latest and greatest fifth-generation fighters, the F-22 Raptor and the F-35A Lightning II. Those two aircraft are gradually replacing older models in America's inventory, but the U.S. isn't the only nation developing new fighters. The People's Republic of China has been hard at work developing its latest fighters, the Chengdu J-20 and the Shenyang FC-31. These new fighters are designed to counter the new U.S. aircraft, and they're somewhat comparable.

The Chengdu J-20 is a transforming stealth fighter jet, so it's got a few tricks up its sleeves. The aircraft entered the People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) in March 2017, and it's quickly proving itself to be capable. It has the ability to launch its two drones while in operation, which is something that hasn't been done via a fighter before. That said, concerns in the West over the aircraft are less about its technology and more about its numbers. China has been quick to develop and field its new toy, which is proving problematic given the PRC's ability to mass produce them.

While in full production, the United States is capable of producing 156 F-35A Lightning II aircraft each year. That's a lot of jets to make in a calendar year when you're talking about some of the most technologically advanced aircraft ever made. On the other hand, China's ability to mass produce its J-20 has some in the West nervous because, while America's fifth-generation fighters may be superior, China's ability to produce massive numbers of its jets could give it an advantage over the West.

[Featured image by N509FZ via Wikimedia Commons | Cropped and scaled | CC BY-SA 4.0]

As many in the West already know, much of what is found on retail shelves in Europe and North America was manufactured in China. That's because China can produce more products at a faster pace and for less money than other nations, making it the world's biggest manufacturer. It seems that this ability translates into military production because China's ability to manufacture high-tech fighter jets could give it the advantage the J-20 needs over its Western counterparts. Since its introduction, China has produced around 250 J-20s, according to reporting from The Diplomat.

Initially, the production schedule for the J-20 was 40-50 per year, but China wants this number to be much higher so that it can counter the potential threat posed by U.S. squadrons in the Pacific. The number has reportedly risen to 100 per year, which is more than twice what it was in 2023. That indicates how effective China has been at ramping up production. By December 2023, China was only 150 stealth fighters behind what the U.S. had in its inventory, and it's likely that China will continue increasing production, likely outpacing the U.S. before long.

This gives China a considerable advantage over potential threats. While the J-20 is comparable to the F-22 in many ways, it's not as fully developed. Despite this, having overwhelming numbers can tip the scales in any military conflict, and every nation involved is well aware of this. As China gets closer to producing 120 J-20s per year, the concern is only growing for nations in the region.

[Featured image by N509FZ via Wikimedia Commons | Cropped and scaled | CC BY-SA 4.0]