Chinese Stealth Better than Our Stealth?

By Steven W. Dugger

There's been a lot of buzz lately about the newly revealed Chinese Stealth Fighter, the J20. Most of the comments I've read have included references, comparisons or debate with our own stealth aircraft. Now, first let me say, that I support our stealth aircraft 100%, I believe that production of the F22 was stopped way too soon, and that everything should be done to bring the F35 to the front lines as soon as possible. However, any comparison with "Their Stealth" vs. "Our Stealth" is meaningless.

You see, stealth technology has a purpose, and it isn't to destroy other stealthy stuff. No, the purpose of stealth is to limit the ability of high value targets to defend themselves. I note that the J20 is a big aircraft. It's wingspan of 46ft and length of 75ft make it bigger than an F22. Fitted with a pair of WS-15 Engines (the prototypes are thought to be using Russian Al31FU engines), it'll be fast too. (Information about the J20 came from http://www.strategypage.com/htmw/htairfo/articles/20110105.aspx ) From this data, I deduce that the J20 was designed to penetrate the air defenses of an American Carrier Group and launch missiles that would be powerful enough to cripple or sink the aircraft carrier. It could also be employed against our E-2 AWAC's aircraft.

Obviously, this could have a fairly detrimental effect on our ability to assist Taiwan against a Chinese "reunification" effort.

So the question is now, "What should our response be?" If you said "Build more F22's or F35's", you fail! What needs to be done, and what I hope is already happening, is to develop methods to detect stealthy aircraft sooner and further from their targets. Our American Carrier Groups are already equipped with Aegis, the most advanced integrated air defense system known to man. Aegis not only has a highly advanced radar system, it also features the ability to link all the combat data from each asset in the Group together, analyze it, and employ the most effective defense against any known threat.

What we have here, is a brand new threat (albeit one that was very predictable). Aegis will have to be tested against this threat (possibly using F22's as surrogate J20's). Modifications and upgrades to the system will be needed, and should be fully funded by Congress and the President. Into the future, the United States is going to have to rethink all our air defenses in the face of a brave new world where we no longer enjoy a monopoly on the stealthy killer.