China Says J-20 Mighty Dragon Have Capability To Search, Track F-22, F-35

(Photo : STR/AFP via Getty Images)
J-20 Mighty Dragon is now in the air and flying as one of China's high-tech assets expected to do well against US stealth fighters who have yet to see the actual battle.

The Chinese claim that the J-20 Mighty Dragon can now track the stealthy F-22 Raptor and the F-35 Lightning II, the best 5th generation planes to beat.

A 5th generation low observable aircraft was sent to the East China Sea Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) last July to identify aircraft, according to a Chinese military publication.

Mighty Dragon Becomes a Surveillance Platform

It is the first instance where a Chinese official verified the long-range stealth interceptor to identify foreign planes in China's ADIZ. China Daily said the aircraft has equipment that can detect the F-35 and F-22.

An ADIZ is where a country controls the airspace. Beijing has dominion over the East China Sea, with overlaps covering Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan, reported The EurAsian Times.

According to the Air Force, flying routes not frequently traveled by foreign aircraft are covered and can be used for both offensive and defensive operations.

The outlet said that J-20s went on combat patrols in April this year; in the East and the South China Sea, they took part in the drills during the US visit to Taipei.

Mighty Dragon pilot, Yang Chunlei, told PLA Daily that provocation started the combat air patrols. He added that after the patrol, other countries followed Chinese protocols in the ADIZ.

Yang mentioned they were searching and tracking to identify US 5th generation stealth planes hidden in the Indo-Pacific.

Detecting Lightning II, the Raptor With OLS

The first encounter in March 2022 happened with the F-35 and J-20, which US Pacific Air Forces Commander General Kenneth Wilsbach revealed. He was pleased with the performance of the J-20 Mighty Dragon, but the pilot went even further.

Revealed only now, J-20 has a photoelectric targeting system, distributed aperture system, and advanced airborne radar with excellent detection range. These systems seamlessly detect planes in a fight.

With the aid of equipment on the J-20, its major adversary, which has bases in Japan and South Korea, may be better detected when engaging in hard maneuvers.

Ex-fighter Indian Air Force fighter pilot Vijainder K Thakur explained how the Mighty Dragon locks on using an Opto Electronic Suite (OLS/IRST) with several front-facing IIR, TV, and laser range finding systems.

It images the target as far as 80 kilometers day and night with a laser range finder on the Su-30MKI, MiG-29, and Rafale. The Chinese OLS is very capable too. Claims say that the Mighty Dragon has 'Beyond the Horizon' capability to lock and fire. It gives a leg up when dealing with F-35 and F-22 for a first shot kill.

Thakur added the frontal part of the Might Dragon is small and can get enough distance to close in on an F-22. A passive OLS on the front will not alert the US plane. Well-armed with long-range air-to-air missiles for a BVR first kill.

Most likely, a Raptor will attack missile defenses in dense areas, but the Chinese stealth fighter attacks frontally (least radar bounce) like over Taiwan. The J-20s will hinder US stealth if a fight happens.

The Taiwanese never reported that they failed to detect the Mighty Dragons in the military drills, so the stealth aspect of the plane has passed successfully. Both the F-35 and the F-22 can be beaten, said the daily.

So, the J-20 Mighty Dragon packs a punch that the US and allies are wary of but might lack a gun that the other two have for a close-in dogfight.