J-20 flight makes neighbours wary

摘要

On 11 January China's Chengdu J-20 had its maiden flight, sending a signal about the country's aerospace ambitions and possibly spurring fighter programmes among its neighbours. The 15min flight took place at the Chengdu Aircraft Design Institutes' aerodrome. The pilot took off and circled the airfield several times before landing. The tests show the purported fifth-generation aircraft is large, roughly the size of the General Dynamics F-111, and features a delta wing and forward canards. Otherwise, little is known about the aircraft, though analysts question whether it is truly stealthy.