On September 3, 2025, during the military parade commemorating the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War, the Chinese Air Force organized an unprecedented realistic flight display.

What roared over Tiananmen Square was not only a traditional fighter formation, but also a microcosm of a new generation of aerial strike system.

Among all the aircraft displayed, the most eye-catching were the J-20 and J-20S.

The J-20, a fifth-generation stealth heavy fighter independently developed by China, has become the mainstay of air superiority operations.

In recent years, with the successful installation of the domestically produced WS-15 engine, the thrust-to-weight ratio, cruise speed, and combat radius of the J-20 have been significantly improved.

It can counter high-end air superiority fighters and is also capable of breaching defenses, hunting for early warning aircraft, and refueling aircraft for strategic missions.

The J-20S, which flew in parallel with the J-20, is a unique existence worldwide.

This is the world's first publicly serviceable twin-seat stealth fighter. Its appearance marks that China not only mastered the core technologies of fifth-generation aircraft, but also took the lead into the era of fifth-generation intelligent collaborative combat.

The rear seat of the J-20S can be equipped with a weapons system officer and a coordinated commander, possessing the ability to command loyal wingmen, integrate data links, and sensor information.

It is not a derivative model of the J-20, but rather a key node in the future systematized intelligent air combat, representing a technological leap from individual air combat to team information-dominated operations.

J-20

Aside from the J-20, there is another fifth-generation fighter - the J-35.

This medium-sized stealth multi-role fighter, originally known as the FC-31 for export, has gradually transitioned to a carrier-based fifth-generation fighter suitable for the navy after multiple rounds of technical verification and optimization.

The J-35 not only adopts advanced DSI intake, inclined vertical tail, internal weapon bays and other stealth designs, but also underwent systematic modifications for carrier operations, including folding wings, catapult hooks, and high-strength landing gear, fully adapting to the operational environment of the Fujian and future electromagnetic catapult carriers.

From the positioning perspective, the J-35 will replace the J-15, becoming the main force of the next generation of carrier air power for China, serving as a key tool for the navy's transition from coastal defense to long-range deployment.

Additionally, the J-35 is expected to play a significant role in expanding its usage space in areas such as land-based long-range operations, twin-seat electronic warfare version, and coordination with unmanned wingmen.

It has been reported that the A model (land-based), B model (carrier-based), and S model (possibly twin-seat or mission type) of the J-35 have completed basic testing and entered the small-scale production phase.

The J-35 is not only the beginning of China's fifth-generation carrier-based aircraft system, but also has the potential to become a star product in the foreign market, providing support for China's military industry to gain voice in the international high-end aircraft market.

In the future, when the J-35 and catapult-type carriers form a combat group system, the Chinese Navy will have a true stealth carrier-based strike platform, forming a significant suppression of air power in the Indo-Pacific region.

J-35

The main firepower outputter in this parade was the widely deployed J-16 series.

The J-16 was developed from the J-11BS, integrating the experience of the Su-30MKK platform, it is a heavy multi-role fighter-bomber with capabilities for ground, sea, and air combat.

Its biggest advantage lies in its strong carrying capacity and range, capable of carrying up to 12 tons of weapons, including laser-guided bombs, anti-ship missiles, long-range air-to-air missiles, and electronic jamming pods.

Besides, the cockpit layout and avionics system of the J-16 have been fully upgraded with domestic technology, introducing active electronically scanned array radar, new flight control systems, and situational awareness modules, enabling it to have continuous combat and joint operations capabilities in complex environments.

More notably, the J-16D, an electronic warfare variant of the J-16, represents a significant breakthrough in China's air force information warfare field.

This variant cancels the machine gun and infrared optical system, replacing them with large electronic jamming antennas and pods, capable of suppressing and deceiving enemy radars and air defense missile systems, creating a safe corridor for stealth aircraft like the J-20.

In systematized combat, the J-16 can not only independently execute strike missions, but also serve as a versatile unit, cooperating with early warning aircraft and drones to carry out suppression, standoff strikes, and campaign-level support tasks.

When the Chinese Air Force gradually forms an air combat formation centered around the J-20, the J-16 acts like a heavy fist, launching intensive firepower attacks while enemies are preoccupied with the threat of stealth, truly achieving a combat layout of high-low combination and long-short integration.

J-10C

As another representative of the Chinese Air Force, the J-10C now faces a special situation, only appearing as a J-10 demonstration aircraft.

It used to be the "sweetheart" of the Chinese Air Force, being the first to be equipped with active electronically scanned array radar, DSI stealth intake, advanced avionics, and next-generation dogfighting missiles, marking the symbolic product of China's fighter jets moving towards modernization.

However, with the gradual deployment of new models such as the J-20, J-35, and J-16, the position of the J-10C has become delicate.

It is neither as capable as the J-20 in terms of stealth and long-range strike capability, nor as powerful as the J-16 in terms of firepower suppression, and even lacks room for application in the navy.

Thus, the "sweetheart" became the "bad woman"—capable but no longer the focus, even though it shocked the world in actual combat just this year.

Nevertheless, it must be pointed out that this kind of teasing does not mean abandoning the J-10C.

On the contrary, the J-10C, with its low cost, high maneuverability, and high maintainability, remains the largest number of frontline fighter jets in the Chinese Air Force.

It is widely deployed in the central, southern, and southeast coastal areas, undertaking a large number of air defense patrols, airspace suppression, and daily escort missions.

Therefore, the J-10C is not outdated, but the development speed of the Chinese Air Force is too fast.

Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7545683414402335295/

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