Chengdu J-20

I know Nationalism plays a part in the "it's just a cheap copy!" accusation, but it's gotten really stupid at this point. There's no reason why the same people who built the Great Wall couldn't create their own 5th generation fighter. It happens to vaguely resemble the F-22 /F-35? So what? Due to the nature of things like planform alignment, most 5th Gen fighters are bound to look similar. I've also seen claims it's a copy of the Mig-144, and while it shares an overall similar configuration, the Mig lacked planform alignment, and wasn't stealthy (unless rumors of plasma stealth were true). By the logic of those calling it a copy, the F-15 is a "copy" of the Mig-25, the F8f a "copy" of the FW-190, the F-35B a "copy" of the Yak-141, and the B-2 a "copy" of the Horten 229. Similar configuration = /= copy. I've also heard cyber intrusion had alot to do with similar design aspects, but as an American, I find it insulting that some honestly believe our cyber security to be so weak. I'm not buying it.

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Further to my posting 31st March 2013, it would appear that two J20 made an appearance at the China airshow held at Zhuhai on 1st August this year. The display consisted of both aircraft flying over at "several hundred feet" with one then disappearing and the other making a few high 'g' turns well within it's flight envelope before it too flew off after about a minute. Which may go to prove what I said three years ago.

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Specifications Chinese Chengdu J-20
Data from Aviation Week & Space Technology
General characteristics
• Crew: one (pilot)
• Length: 20 m (66.8 ft)
• Wingspan: 13 m (44.2 ft)
• Height: 4.45 m (14 ft 7 in)
• Wing area: 78 m2 (840 sq ft)
• Empty weight: 19,391 kg (42,750 lb)
• Gross weight: 32,092 kg (70,750 lb)
• Max takeoff weight: 36,288 kg (80,001 lb) upper estimate
• Fuel capacity: 11,340 kg (25,000 lb)
• Powerplant: 2 × WS-10G (prototype), AL-31F (prototype) or Xian WS-15 (production) afterburning turbofans, 76.18 kN (17,125 lbf) thrust each dry, 122.3 or 179.9 kN (27,500 or 40,450 lbf) with afterburner
• Wing loading: 410 kg /m2 (84 lb /sq ft)
• Thrust /weight: 0.94 (prototype with interim engines)
Armament
• PL-10 SRAAM
• PL-12 Medium Range AAM

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I remember when people used to say exactly the same thing about Japan:

"china copies everything from TV's to cars and their copies are very sub-standard. perhaps some day they will advance to a real world genius but that day is decades off."

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Around 1972 I think, Nixon visited China and opened trade with them.A nation who up until this point was a communist country minding its own business.{not including the korean war} this would result in a great loss of manufacturing and other jobs in the u.s. thanks to companies like walmart, k-mart etc.selling low Quality,cheap goods and the u.s. workers not able to compete with the low wages the chineses are paid. our own politicians sold us out with very bad trade deals,greasing their pockets at our cost.this nation has woke china up.now they are building up their military with u.s. dollars and will soon out pace us. for now their technology is not as sophisticated as ours but they are catching up by hook or crook.I dont know if its true or not but I heard that the chinese stole f35 tech right out of the fighter by hacking its on board computer while it was in test flight giving them a wealth of stealth info. it is ultimately our responsibity to protect our tech.

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you can put a leopard in a tiger suit but it doesn't make it a tiger. china copies everything from TV's to cars and their copies are very sub-standard. perhaps some day they will advance to a real world genius but that day is decades off.

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To people weening about China has spyd america and steal their plane: al countrys copy eachother if a plane is good! No one copys a bad plane!Besides: about spying i say one name: Edward Snowden. 'merica shut up about spying..............

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The Tu4 was a reversed engineered B29,but was not as well made as the steels used by the Russians were of inferior quality, which resulted in a very much heavier craft that did not offer the same performance. The Tu144 Charger was a superficial and faster copy of the Concorde but had nowhere near the sophistication of that plane, and that is why it spent the majority of it's short life flying mail internally in the USSR. It was not Marco (not Marko) Polo who said "let China sleep" but Napoleon, and to finish his quote "but when she awakes Europe beware". One, I think, should substitute "World" for "Europe".

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China has over 1.5 billion people. They are bounded by numbers alone to have more "genius" than us. In engineering "design follows function". That is why all airliners look alike and why stealth jet fighters look alike. The difference will be in details. The details will determine performance and capabilities. Augmented to that will be pilot training and his "enthusiasm". Marko Polo was said "Let China sleep." I believe the next war will be with the radical Muslim nations. I'd want the Chinese on our side.

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@hangarstuff

To a certain point, what you say makes sense, but in a case like this, it's obvious there was no design creativity at work here.

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