Chinese military observers confirmed that the People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLA Air Force) has incorporated its 300th fifth-generation J-20 fighter. The aircraft was identified at Zhangjiakou Air Base, home to the 19th Aviation Brigade of the Central Air Command.
The news spread after a photo was published by Chinese Armed Forces observer 太湖军I名 on Weibo. The fighter in question, marked with serial number CB10300, was spotted during training flights.
+ Czech Republic to send helicopter unit to support Poland against Russian drone threats
Serial number confirms production milestone
The serial number follows the traditional logic of Chinese aviation, indicating batch and overall production order. The prefix “10” shows that the aircraft belongs to the 10th production batch, while the number “300” confirms it is the 300th J-20 built.
According to the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), production may have already exceeded 350 units, as new aircraft continue to be spotted and recorded by military observers.
19th Brigade becomes the 13th equipped with J-20
Another relevant detail was the “63x0x” marking on the fuselage, confirming the rearmament of the 19th Aviation Brigade with the stealth fighter. This makes it the 13th PLA Air Force unit to operate the model.
Among the brigades already operating the J-20 are:
- 1st Brigade – Anshan
- 4th – Foshan
- 5th – Guilin
- 8th – Changxing
- 9th – Wuhu
- 19th – Zhangjiakou
- 41st – Wuyishan
- 54th – Ningxiang
- 55th – Jining
- 56th – Zhengzhou
- 97th – Dazu
- 111th – Korla
- 172nd – Cangzhou
- 176th – Dingxing
Replacement of older fighters
Official reports already indicated since August 2024 that the 19th Brigade was in the process of replacing older aircraft with the J-20, but this is the first visual evidence of the change.
Production of the J-20 began in 2014, with the first combat deliveries taking place in January 2016. Since then, the fighter has become the main vector of the modernization of the Chinese Air Force.
J-20 capabilities
The Chengdu J-20 is classified as a fifth-generation fighter. It incorporates:
- Active phased-array radar
- Integrated electro-optical system
- Internal weapon bays, ensuring greater stealth
The aircraft can carry up to four long-range PL-15 air-to-air missiles and two short-range PL-10E missiles in side bays. Although there are still no images confirming its ability to employ guided bombs, Chinese experts state that this capability is possible.
Strategic expansion
According to the IISS, China produced more than 200 J-20s between 2016 and 2023 alone, significantly expanding its aerial presence in the Asia-Pacific region and consolidating a strategic advantage over its neighbors and regional rivals.
Source and images: eng.chinamil.com.cn. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
