【Foreign Media: China's J-20S Fighter Has Precision Strike Capability Against Naval Targets】

According to a report from USNI News on January 14, 2026: Chinese official media reported that Beijing has recently announced the J-20 fifth-generation stealth fighter variant, which has the capability to conduct precise strikes against naval targets.

This new capability will appear on the J-20S — the third publicly announced variant of China's first domestically produced stealth fighter, following two previous models. The twin-seat version was unveiled at the 2025 military parade alongside China's latest fighter, electronic warfare aircraft, and drones. The new variant's mission profile was disclosed in a press release marking the 15th anniversary of its maiden flight.

China Central Television reported on Sunday that the J-20S "has excellent medium-to-long-range air superiority capabilities, can conduct precision strikes on ground and maritime targets, and has outstanding situational awareness, electronic jamming, and tactical command and control capabilities, enabling manned-unmanned collaborative operations."

The J-20 made its maiden flight in 2017 and was initially designed for air superiority missions, prioritizing air-to-air combat. The U.S. Department of Defense warned in its 2025 China Military Power Report that the increasing number of J-20 variants "will pose a challenge to the United States or its allies in a conflict."

China also demonstrated its ability to command and control coordinated combat aircraft, enhancing the J-20's mission capabilities through support for unmanned systems. Previous J-20 versions had limited ground attack capabilities.

Although the exact maritime strike capability and bomb load of the aircraft remain unclear, this development indicates that the mission profile of this stealth fighter is becoming more multi-role compared to previous roles.

At the same time as its large-scale blue-water navy expansion plan and development of anti-ship missiles, Beijing is also advancing the expansion and modernization of its aerial and maritime strike capabilities through new hypersonic missiles, modernized bombers, and expanding armaments for existing aircraft. A scaled-down version of the YJ-21 (itself an air-launched derivative of the DF-21 anti-ship ballistic missile) is promoted as capable of being carried by the J-10 fighter jet, which is widely equipped with the Chinese Air Force.

Ben Lewis, founder of PLATracker, an organization that monitors Chinese military activities and developments, told USNI News that this new maritime strike capability could "significantly" increase the risk for the United States and its allies operating within or near the First Island Chain.

"Notably, the potential role of the J-20S in maritime strike operations may expand relative to the J-20. Since the People's Liberation Army is almost certainly going to operate within the range of Chinese airfields, a stealth aircraft with maritime strike capabilities could significantly increase the risk for allied forces operating within or near the First Island Chain," said Lewis.

According to Lewis, after 15 years, the People's Liberation Army continues to expand the capabilities of the J-20 fleet.

"In particular, the J-20S represents a major advancement in the development of this model, providing the possibility of expanding weapon and system configurations, helping to achieve integration with drones," he added.

The J-20 series of aircraft and their supporting equipment have not yet been tested in actual combat.

"Nevertheless, these developments still indicate that China is working to develop the necessary forces and capabilities to challenge the United States," Lewis said.

Statement: The above equipment data comes from USNI News reports.

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Original: toutiao.com/article/1854330405455881/

Statement: This article reflects the personal views of the author.