J-31. Photo from Aviation Week
China’s New Stealth Fighter Gambit -- James Hardy, The Diplomat
Was the jet crafted from stolen intelligence? Could it be used on China's new aircraft carrier? With photos appearing online of another Chinese stealth fighter, questions are mounting.
China’s defense industry seems to be up to its new trick of unveiling its latest toy when a senior U.S. official visits Beijing.
Following the playbook established in January 2011 when Chengdu’s J-20 stealth fighter had its maiden test flight just in time to overshadow the visit of then-Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, rival aerospace firm Shenyang Aircraft Corporation (SAC) accidentally-on-purpose allowed some high-definition images of its own fifth-generation fighter jet to appear on the web over the weekend. Coincidentally, current Pentagon chief Leon Panetta had just kicked off an Asian tour that included a stopover in Beijing.
Read more ....
My Comment: I suspect that the Chinese still have a long way to go before they can match the U.S. Air Force .... but they are making an effort.