To say that the J-20 jet, China's new-generation stealth fighter, copied the technologies of U.S. F-117A fighter, which the U.S. Air Force first flew in the 1980s, is simply ludicrous, People's Frontline said in a commentary. The newspaper argued that such voices reflect the jealousy of the U.S.
The original remarks were made by U.S. Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Goldfein in August. People's Frontline refuted Goldfein's claim, remarking that if the two models do share similarities, it is only that they both have wheels and wings.
The article exposed the truth behind the dismantled F-117. The aircraft sacrificed aerodynamic design for stealth, rendering it unable to fly at supersonic speeds. In addition, the F-117 could only cover a range of 1,000 kilometers with two land-attack missiles. Its performance is not even compatible with the J-5 and J-6.
Though the F-117 was a point of pride for U.S. military experts, it was shot down by Yugoslavia's SAM missile. Therefore, the U.S. decided to dismantle the aircraft and started development of the F-22, the paper added.
If, as Goldfein stated, China really had copied the technology of the F-117, then that would indicate that the J-20 is not competitive. But if that were the case, the U.S. government would not continually speak about a "China threat," People's Frontline mused.
It's not reasonable to compare the J-20 to the F-22 and F-35 either, the article said, adding that the latter has been frequently challenged by technical defects. In addition, the expensive F-22 fails to provide sufficient oxygen for the pilot. CNN commented that the F-20 would pose a threat to the U.S. in certain operational scenarios, such as a confrontation over Taiwan or the Diaoyu Islands.
As China makes progress on manned space flight, navigation satellites, early-warning satellites, remote-sensing satellites, aircraft carriers, major stealth destroyers, stealth aircraft, unmanned aerial vehicles and large aircraft, the U.S., as a major military power, has exposed its fear through its remarks about China's achievement.
China hopes to safeguard world peace through the development of cutting-edge weapons. Therefore, it doesn't matter what the U.S. hegemony says, the paper stated.
