Chengdu J-20
| J-20 Weilong (Mighty Dragon) | |
|---|---|
| J-20 flight at the 2022 Changchun Air Show | |
| General information | |
| Type | Stealth air superiority fighter |
| National origin | China |
| Manufacturer | Chengdu Aircraft Corporation |
| Designer | Chengdu Aircraft Corporation |
| Status | In service |
| Primary user | People's Liberation Army Air Force |
| Number built | 300+ as of September 2025 |
| History | |
| Manufactured | 2009–present |
| Introduction date | 8 March 2017 (J-20) 3 September 2025 (J-20A/J-20S) |
| First flight | 11 January 2011; 15 years ago |
| Developed from | J-XX |
The Chengdu J-20 (Chinese: 歼-20; pinyin: Jiān-Èrlíng), also known as Weilong (Chinese: 威龙; pinyin: Wēilóng; lit. 'Mighty Dragon', NATO reporting name: Fagin), is a twin-engine all-weather stealth fighter developed by China's Chengdu Aircraft Corporation for the People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF). The J-20 is designed as an air superiority fighter with precision strike capability. The aircraft has three notable variants: the initial production model, the revised airframe variant with new engines and thrust-vectoring control, and the aircraft-teaming capable twin-seat variant.
Descending from the J-XX program of the 1990s, the aircraft made its maiden flight on 11 January 2011, and was officially revealed at the 2016 China International Aviation & Aerospace Exhibition. The aircraft entered service in March 2017 with the first J-20 combat unit formed in February 2018, making China the second country in the world to field an operational stealth aircraft.