J-20S vs F-22: how drones flip the battle of mighty stealth fighters

A simulated battle between Chinese and American stealth fighter jets has shown which would be the victor – and why

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Chinese military researchers have pitted the Chinese J-20 stealth fighter - seen here during the recent China Airshow - against an American F-22 in a simulated battle to see who would be victorious. Photo: AFP

Stephen Chenin Beijing

Published: 10:00pm, 29 Nov 2024Updated: 1:14am, 30 Nov 2024

China and the United States boast the most formidable stealth fighter jets in the world – but which one reigns supreme?

A team of Chinese military experts decided to find out, so they conducted a simulated battle between a J-20 of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) and an F-22 of the US, setting the stage to the north of Taiwan.

To be cautious, the Chinese jet’s technical specs, including radar prowess and stealth capabilities, were deliberately set lower than its American counterpart.

The outcome? In every scenario, the Chinese fighter emerged on top with a win rate exceeding 95 per cent. This performance was attributed to the J-20’s ability to team up with two to three unmanned drones.

These aerial companions could scout out the enemy, draw fire from the F-22, and launch multidirectional attacks, while the human-piloted J-20 struck the decisive blow.

At this month’s China Airshow, the PLA unveiled the latest iteration of its heavy stealth fighter, the J-20S. A global first, this two-seater stealth jet features a unique set-up: one pilot focuses on flying and weaponry, while the other handles communication and drone coordination.

“The landscape of modern air combat has undergone a paradigm shift, thanks to rapid advancements in information and drone technology,” wrote a research team led by Zhang Dong, an associate professor with the school of astronautics at Northwestern Polytechnical University, in a paper published this month.