China’s stealth fighter unveiled in flyby debut

China unveils its J-20 stealth fighter at an air show in Zhuhai, Guangdong Province, China, on November 1, 2016. Photo: China Daily via Reuters

 

With no fanfare, just an abrupt announcement by the master of ceremonies, two dark, powerful J-20 jets rumble over spectators at the Zhuhai airshow

Two of China’s J-20 stealth warplanes swept over a gasping crowd at the Zhuhai air show on Tuesday, potent symbols of Beijing’s aspirations to military might.

The fighters were not announced on the schedule and appeared in the sky just after a colorful aerobatics show by the People’s Liberation Army Air Force.

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China’s only international aerospace expo, it serves as a stage for Beijing to flex its muscle before an audience of cheering citizens and foreign guests from 42 countries including Russia, Pakistan and Britain.

It also has become a key platform for top global aerospace firms to hawk their wares for a share of the booming aircraft market in the world’s second-largest economy.

Sacred mission

China is projected to become the world’s largest aviation market by 2024, according to the International Air Transport Association.

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President Xi Jinping has declared aerospace one of the target industries for his “Made in China 2025” plan to make the country’s firms capable of dethroning foreign competitors in high-value manufacturing and services.

Full article: China’s stealth fighter unveiled in flyby debut (Asia Times)