 |
| USAF Aggressor F-15 Eagles and F-16 Fighting Falcons fly in formation in 2008 . The jets ae assigned to the 64th and 65th Aggressor squadrons at Nellis Air Force Base |
International Military - The United States is known to be preparing pilots to be trained to fight the J-20 Mighty Dragon. The Chinese-made jet did make the US a little paranoid.
The reason is, the J-20 Mighty Dragon is also claimed to be one of the fifth generation fighter jets. Where the actual generation of fighter jets is still limited. This is because there are not many 5th generation fighter jets that are actually operational in the world.
The 5th generation fighter jets that already exist are the F-35 Lighting II, F-22 Raptor, J-20 Mighty Dragon, and Su-57. Quoted from 19fortyfive.com, the 5th generation fighter combines a low-observable design with advanced data-fusion avionics to offer incredible new capabilities.
To qualify for this elite warrior fraternity, a jet must meet these (generally accepted) criteria:
- Stealth technology
- High degree of maneuverability
- Advanced avionics system
- Multi-role capability
- Networking or data fusion capabilities
In this regard, the Chinese J-20 and American F-35 both entered service in the mid-2010s. Today, both are the only aircraft of their generation produced and deployed at squadron-level forces.
Quoted from Military Watch Magazine, the J-20 is by far the biggest challenge to American air superiority. Not Russia's Su-57 Felon, but the J-20 proves China's increasingly sophisticated air superiority.
Read Also: China-Taiwan Conflict, US Secretary of Defense: China Becomes More Aggressive in Asia
Finally, the 65th Aggressor Squadron equipped with the F-35 was formed on June 9, 2022. This jet is specifically designed to simulate China's stealth fighter capabilities and prepare the Air Force accordingly.
Chief of Air Combat Command General Mark Kelly expressed the importance of this. "Due to the increasing threat posed by the development of the PRC's [People's Republic of China] fifth and sixth generation fighter aircraft,
we must use some of our daily fifth generation aircraft today at Langley, Elmendorf, Hill, Eielson, and now Nellis, to emulate the capabilities of the enemy's fifth generation. Precisely because we have this credible threat, when we imitate a fifth generation enemy, it must be done professionally. Those are the aggressors," he said.
Read Also: President Volodymyr Zelenskyy Accuses Russia of Trying to Destroy Every City in Donbas
Commander of the 57th Operations Group Colonel Scott Mills explained more about this aggressor. "The aggressors themselves represent a large conglomeration of subject matter experts focused mostly on Russia and China.
The 65s will focus on China, and we're talking about their doctrine, training and capabilities, so that when [the 65th] flies, we're actually modeling the pacing challenge as closely as possible.
Using the F-35 as an aggressor allows pilots to train against observable threats similar to what the adversary is developing." The F-35 is the jet used by the 65th Aggressor Squadron. Although they are from the same generation, the F-35 The -35 and J-20 are very different.
Read Also: Ukraine Submits Requests for More Weapons to Western Countries
The J-20 is a heavyweight twin-engine aircraft designed for air superiority missions. Meanwhile, the F-35 is a much lighter single-engine jet developed primarily for air-to-ground operations.