Explores the J-20 stealth fighter's development, technologies, and global impact, highlighting China's rise as a major player in combat aviation.The J-20 fifth generation stealth fighter program has epitomised Chinas rise from a laggard in combat aviation into a potential world leader. J-20 Mighty Dragon: Asias First Stealth Fighter in the Era of Chinas Military Rise details the J-20s technologies, capabilities, production timeline, design priorities, roles, evolution, and the formations and locations where it has been deployed, the ways other countries have responded to it, and how the last 30 years of Chinas industrial and technology sector's modernisation positioned the country to produce what may well now be the worlds top air superiority fighter.The J-20 program is the most high-profile indicator of a turning point in the balance of power between China and the United States, and has produced by far the most capable fighter that America or its allies could face in a potential conflict. An assessment of the history of Chinese air superiority capabilities, and how the Korean War in particular has influenced the country to place a very strong emphasis on the need to field a leading fighter for air-to-air combat, thus provides an important deeper understanding of the program.Important context to understanding the J-20s significance and its current global standing is provided by brief assessments of the positions of the Russian and American fighter industries. The parallel development of supporting assets from aerial tankers to electronic warfare planes is also explored for a better understanding of the much-transformed Chinese fleet which J-20s are being inducted into.The program is also shown to have had a particularly significant influence in the United States, ranging from placing discourse on the F-35s modernisation and on sixth generation fighter development in an entirely new context, to stimulating the formation of new counter-stealth aggressor training units, development of new air-to-air missiles, and the acquisition of E-7 flying radar aircraft among many other responses to the new challenge. J-20 Mighty Dragon: Asias First Stealth Fighter in the Era of Chinas Military Rise is the fi rst volume in the new Technology@War series and is extensively illustrated with colour photographs throughout and specially commissioned colour artworks.
