The date cited for the expected deployment is years ahead of previous Pentagon public forecasts and may be a sign that China's rapid military buildup is topping many experts' expectations.
"We're anticipating China to have a fifth-generation fighter ... operational right around 2018," Wayne Ulman of the National Air and Space Intelligence Center testified on Thursday to a congressionally mandated group that studies national security implications of U.S.-China economic ties.
"Fifth-generation" fighters feature cutting-edge capabilities, including shapes, materials and propulsion systems designed to make them look as small as a swallow on enemy radar screens.
Defense Secretary Robert Gates had said last year that China "is projected to have no fifth-generation aircraft by 2020" and only a "handful" by 2025.
Latest from Aerospace Manufacturing and Design
- GE Aerospace secures Air Force engine contract
- Thomson Industries' online sizing and selection tool
- #53 - Manufacturing Matters - 2024 Leaders in Manufacturing Roundtable
- Join us for insights on one of the hottest topics in manufacturing!
- You can still register for March’s Manufacturing Lunch + Learn!
- Ohio creates Youngstown Innovation Hub for Aerospace and Defense
- Tormach’s Chip Conveyor Kit for the 1500MX CNC Mill
- How to Reduce First Article Inspection Creation Time by 70% to 90% with DISCUS Software
