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China's J-20 Not Stealthy Enough To Be 5th Gen, Can Be Picked Up By Rafale's Meteor Missile: Former IAF Chief
Swarajya Staff
Jul 31, 2020, 12:56 PM | Updated 12:56 PM IST
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Former Indian Air Force Chief B S Dhanoa has called out China's attempt to paint the Chengdu J-20 aircraft as superior to the Rafale fighter jet.
As per a Hindustan Times report, former air chief marshal Dhanoa posed two questions to the Chinese over the latter's claim that the Rafale is a generation below the J-20.
Dhanoa asked the Chinese that if indeed J-20 is a fifth generation fighter then why has it been equipped with canards, unlike the other fifth generation fighter jets like the F-22, F-35 and Su-57.
Canards are small wing like structures which are attached to the front of the fuselage.
Dhanoa said that the canards increase the radar signature of the J-20 and it can give away its position to a long-range Meteor missile which has been equipped on India's Rafale.
"I don’t think J-20 is stealthy enough to be called a fifth generation fighter as the canard increases the radar signature of the fighter and gives away its position to a long-range meteor missile that the Rafale has", said Dhanoa.
He also asked the Chinese as to why the J-20 cannot supercruise (fly above the speed of sound without deploying afterburners) if it indeed is a fifth generation fighter jet as claimed.
Dhanoa added that Rafale has the ability to supercruise and its radar signature is comparable to one of the best aircraft in the world.
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