The AirShow China 2024, in Zhuhai, has been the stage for some debuts such as the Shenyang J-35A, but some preferred to bring mockups to the exhibition.
The Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC) displayed a scale model of the 5th generation fighter, the J-20, however, in a different configuration than the one already known.
This is the J-20S, a two-seat variant of the Chinese stealth fighter, which shows the evolution of the project aimed at offering a command post for the so-called “loyal wingmen”, unmanned combat aircraft.
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In this case, a second crew member would be responsible for coordinating the actions of the robotic wingmen during the mission.
Before Zhuhai, the J-20S had already been spotted in tests and is, as far as is known, the world’s first two-seat stealth fighter.
According to The Global Times, the J-20S’s mission is to be a medium- and long-range stealth air superiority fighter that can also perform precision strikes in depth against land and naval targets.
In addition, the J-20S will be able to promote pilot training to an advanced level and delegate secondary tasks to the second pilot during the mission, such as radar detection, missile strike, tactical command and control, electronic warfare and situational awareness, among other tasks.
The J-20S will also be able to fuse data on a closed encrypted network and even exercise full control of an air wing of drones, using their sensors to maintain stealth and protect the lead fighter from enemy threats.
