J-20 5th Generation Fighter VII
- Thread starter siegecrossbow
- Start date
- Status
A quick front profile comparison I made. (To scale)
No side bays on the twin seater version.
More fuel or electronics ?
Maybe it’s because it’s just a test plane and they dropped some stuff to make it simpler for testing.
even j-20 2001 has weapon bay
I think we need to wait to see if there is an "obvious" ventral bay first using a similar quality of imagery.
With the quality of that picture, if a side bay doesn't have the additional edge treatment of production/service aircraft, then chances are we wouldn't be able to see it anyhow.
When I said we've been given visual hints I'm referring to stuff like this although it is extremely unofficial (the below image showing integrated UCAVs).
and the constant chatter about Dark Sword being the UCAV wingman to PLAAF manned fighters.
The video I shared has the pilot saying exactly this. I'm just sharing the video. I'm not here saying Dark Sword is an active, in service UCAV in PLAAF. They will not show images until the thing has been trained up. This isn't a prototype 2001 moment.
There have been plenty of unofficial chatter about this for about a decade now. No one thought the 2013 flying prototype of Sharp Sword would result in GJ-11. When GJ-11 was revealed in 2019, it was already in service. I would expect the Dark Sword UCAV to only be revealed after it has been in active service.
These following images are from between 2015 and 2018 iirc.
Out of these real, controlled leaks and very intentional ones at that if you look closely. We can't say it is in service and that isn't what I'm saying. Just wanted to share the video of a PLAAF pilot saying "I can go out alone and take four UCAVs into combat and that improves my situational awareness and combat effectiveness".
This is interesting to me because it's the first time we've had a state media report on this with a PLAAF J-20 pilot saying this directly in no uncertain terms. He even suggests J-20 single seater from his choice of words although there is definite reason to be uncertain about this aspect since J-20S is a thing and is clearly intended to be for commanding and integrating with UCAVs.
The UCAVs/UAVs he is referring to may or may not be Dark Sword or limited to the ones we know about.
Dark Sword has been shown at least as a program since so long ago I can't even remember was it 2009? Since then it is hinted at being a developed and worked on project until around 2018ish then pretty much silence. Now we see J-20S dual seater and have this official "leak" talking about a J-20 integrated with UCAVs.
Just wanted to add this CGI. All the models and available visual information on Dark Sword since 2009 (or whenever that first airshow model display showing the program) does seem to suggest this is the general layout and shape. It is one nice looking UCAV that's for sure. It's impressive enough for the Turks to create a surface visual copy with their MIUS program from 2020.
Last edited:
- Status