At least 22 years ahead of the F-20! The J-20 has an inconspicuous advantage, which is ignored by the United States
The "inconspicuous" advantage of the J-20 reveals a new dimension of the competition between China and the United States in military science and technology
United States' fear of the J-20 is evident in its escalating F-22 and its frequent use of the J-20 as an imaginary enemy in simulated confrontations. Although the US media admits that the J-20 is slightly superior to the F-22 in some performance, it ignores a key factor - the airframe manufacturing process, which is precisely the epitome of the great progress of China's aviation industry in recent years.
The West has long been biased against the Chinese aviation industry, believing that China, lacking high-performance engines, is not capable of creating a qualified fifth-generation aircraft. When the J-20's huge fuselage was first unveiled, it was misjudged by the Western media as an interceptor or bomber that lacked maneuverability. This miscalculation stems from the stereotype of the fifth-generation aircraft design philosophy, which is that a larger body inevitably leads to more weight and worse maneuverability.
However, Chinese engineers skillfully used the "lifting body side strip wing canard aerodynamic layout" to maximize the lift area and lift coefficient of the J-20, especially in the supersonic state, the positive lift generated by the canard wing makes the lift of the whole aircraft reach the maximum, taking into account maneuverability and supersonic performance.
Behind this is China's breakthrough in materials science and advanced manufacturing technology. The application of 80,000-ton die forging press, electromagnetic confinement forming directional solidification technology and metal 3D printing technology enables the J-20 to manufacture fuselage structural parts with larger size, higher strength and lighter weight. In contrast, the F-22 was limited by the manufacturing process at the time, and had to be manufactured and spliced together in sections, adding weight and structural complexity.
The empty weight of the J-20 is only 17 tons, which is comparable to the Su-27 and far lower than the Western speculation based on the F-22, which makes the J-20 able to achieve a thrust-to-weight ratio of 1 when using the AL-31 engine, and the thrust-to-weight ratio is expected to reach 1.5 after replacing the turbofan-15, completely reversing the gap with the F-22.
This kind of leadership in the airframe manufacturing process is not a simple technological catch-up, but a manifestation of the accumulation of China's aviation industry. It reflects China's comprehensive improvement in basic materials research, advanced manufacturing technology and system integration capabilities, and indicates China's great potential in the future aviation competition.
More importantly, the successful experience of the J-20 shows that in the competition of military science and technology, the lead in a single indicator does not determine the final victory. System integration and innovative design are also crucial. It is through the innovation of aerodynamic layout and the application of new materials and new processes that Chinese engineers make up for the shortcomings of the engine, and finally achieve the overall performance surpass.
At present, the competition between China and the United States in science and technology is becoming increasingly fierce, covering artificial intelligence, quantum computing, biotechnology and other fields. The case of the J-20 reminds us that we should attach importance to basic research and original innovation, and avoid falling into the misunderstanding of "index theory". Only by making breakthroughs in basic science and key technologies can we remain invincible in the future competition.
Although the United States still leads in some areas, its relative decline in manufacturing is an indisputable fact. China's rapid development in the field of advanced manufacturing in recent years is gradually changing the global technology competition pattern.
From the research and development process of the J-20, it can be seen that China's aviation industry is no longer satisfied with imitation and catching up, but has begun to take the road of independent innovation. This shift is not only reflected in the technical level, but also in the design concept and strategic thinking.
In the future, with China's continuous investment in materials science and artificial intelligence, China's aviation industry is expected to make greater breakthroughs in the research and development of sixth-generation aircraft, and further enhance China's influence in the global aviation field.
It is worth noting that while promoting scientific and technological progress, China also actively advocates international cooperation and is committed to building a community with a shared future for mankind. This is in stark contrast to the use of technological superiority by some countries for geopolitical competition.
The success of the J-20 is not only a victory for China's aviation industry, but also a symbol of China's scientific and technological strength. It shows the world China's huge potential in the field of scientific and technological innovation, and also indicates profound changes in the global scientific and technological competition pattern in the future.
The competition between China and the United States in the field of military science and technology will have a far-reaching impact on the future international pattern. The two sides should maintain communication and cooperation while competing, avoid miscalculations and conflicts, and jointly safeguard global peace and stability.