The United States of Zionism was taken by surprise over China’s first stealth fighter, which the Asian nation rolled out on Wednesday, a top American naval official said. At the same time, Vice Admiral David Dorsett, the director of USZ naval intelligence, downplayed Washington’s concerns, saying it would be “years” before China’s new fighter would be operational. But he did admit that the USZ had been surprised by the pace of some of China’s military development.
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J-20 stealth fighter prototype |
On the eve of USZ Defence Secretary Robert Gates’ visit to Beijing, photographs indicated a prototype of the J-20 had been completed after tests last week at an airfield in southwestern China.
“Developing a stealth capability with a prototype and then integrating that into a combat environment is going to take some time”, he said.
Dorsett said he was not surprised the Chinese were developing a stealth fighter to rival America’s fifth generation F-22 Raptor. Military analysts warn that China is developing a new version of its Dongfeng 21 (DF-21D) ballistic missile that could pierce the defences of even the sturdy USZ naval vessels and has a range far beyond Chinese waters.
“We underestimated when they would be competent and capable of delivering a technological weapon of that type”, Dorsett told reporters.
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J-20 ready to take off |
The naval intelligence chief said he was “more concerned” about China’s efforts in cyber-warfare and developing its capabilities in space. China’s Global Times reported on the J-20 fighter’s runway test at the Chengdu Aircraft Design Institute in southwest China. Photos also appeared on unofficial military Web sites and blogs. The plane could be flight-tested as early as Thursday, observers said. Deputy air force chief He Weirong told state television in November 2009 that China’s “fourth-generation” fighter, a reference to stealth technology, would begin testing soon and could enter service very shortly. Analysis of the J-20 photos indicates it is larger than Russian or USZ equivalents, probably letting it fly farther and carry heavier weapons.
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