Twin seat J-20

[Last starfighter]

Why two heads would be better than one for China’s ‘Mighty Dragon’ fighter jet

• A twin-seater version of the J-20 fighter would be able to disrupt electronic systems and deploy fleets of drones, according to a Chinese military magazine
• The jet is the country’s most advanced stealth-fighter but has been beset by engine problems
• A twin-seater version of China’s most advanced fighter jet the J-20 would be able to target enemy electronic equipment and operate in tandem with swarms of drones, according to a defence industry magazine.
  
  The article, published by Chinese military magazine Ordnance Industry Science Technology, said the fifth-generation fighter would be expected to carry out more tasks as the technology evolved, and a second crew member would be needed to carry out some of those functions.
  
  “The emergence of a twin-seat version of the J-20 is because the J-20’s mission has diversified and China needs a more capable fighter jet,” the article said.
  
  The article predicted that the J-20’s twin-seat version would be equipped with more advanced electronic equipment than is found in other Chinese twin-seaters.
• It’s a piece of cake for the J-20 to perform [electronic interference] duties because of its strong power supply capacity, fire-control radar and integrated avionics system,” the article said.
• We can imagine that the front pilot will be in charge of flying the aircraft, while the pilot sitting behind is in charge of controlling the electronic inference platform, making the J-20 a nightmare for enemy electronic equipment.”
• The second crew member could also control a supporting fleet of pilotless aircraft. “The drones could be bait to attract enemy aircraft or draw in stealth aircraft … they can also gather intelligence, carry out attacks against air defence systems and gain air superiority,” the article said.
• The article said Chinese engineers had gained experience from making a twin-seat version of the J-10, so it should be technologically feasible to make a twin-seat J-20.
  
  The J-20, also known as the Mighty Dragon, is an all-weather stealth fighter with precision strike capabilities that entered service in 2017 but has been dogged by engine problems.
• China has never officially disclosed the exact number of J-20s, but according to another article in the same issue of Ordnance Industry Science Technology, around 90 have been made so far. It added that around 400 or 500 would be needed to fulfil the country’s military needs.
• Last week military insiders said purpose-built engines for the fighters, which were initially fitted with Russian-made engines, were expected to be ready within the next two years.

 

[baqai]

a pilot to focus on flying and a RIO to focus on the mission delivery, i think a good way for specific missions

 

[beijingwalker]

China’s J-20 ‘Races Ahead’ Of F-22, F-35 Fighters To Have A Twin-Seat Variant To Control Loyal Wingmen Drones
ByParth Satam
August 20, 2022

The same J-20 with the serial number 2032 in the factory paint scheme

A recent photo of China’s J-20 ‘Mighty Dragon’ with a twin-seat configuration emerged on social media, making it the only Generation 5 stealth fighter of this design.

This bares the rapid pace at which China is rolling out its crown jewel and how it will serve longer while continuously upgrading, unlike its American counterparts – the F-22 Raptor and the F-35 Lightning II.

The second seat might also control Chinese ‘wingmen’ drones, revealed in September 2021.

The J-20 twin-seat variant in flight

What Does The Photo Show?​

The J-20 is seen in a dark-grey color scheme that is believed to be active service camouflage, meaning the People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) has accepted it.

The serial number 2032 along its nose can also be evidence of it having been accepted for squadron service. The photo also shows some notable differences with the single-seat J-20 variants until now, beginning with the chin-mounted Electro-Optical Tracking System (EOTS) looking slightly different.

A pair of sideways sensors on the nose cone also appear missing. Antennas/sensors close to the engine inlet are also missing, meaning the sensor Distributed Aperture System (DAS) has been re-arranged.

One of the reasons could be wanting to reduce electromagnetic interference. These antennas/sensors are believed to be laser-warning detectors, radar warning receivers, and data-link transmitters, much like the F-35.

The two-seater variant, the J-20S, made its first flight in October 2021 in a full-yellow factory roll-out color scheme. Furthermore, photos in July 2022 showed the aircraft having a larger canopy and a stud to support the center frame of the canopy.

All weapons bay doors were open, which housed missiles and ordnance internally. On a different note, the landing gear structures are also visible, which are weak and not meant for aircraft carrier operations. The People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) does not intend to expect the aircraft to be carrier capable.

J-20 two-seat variant front view in yellow factory roll-out paint scheme

The side-launch bays that carry the short-range PL-10E air-to-air missiles also have a unique design where the launch pylons are two-ring structures.

They rotate outwards as the single door opens and the door immediately closes, with the missile ready to fire in a dogfight. The primary weapons bay doors in the belly meanwhile hold four 300-kilometer range PL-15 Beyond Visual Range (BVR) missiles.

It is unknown how long it takes for this PL-10E ‘readying’ process, but it wouldn’t take more than 10 seconds and has to be activated by the pilot well before a dogfight begins. This also indicates that the J-20 is quite capable of tight maneuvers, which many experts initially said was not, but made up for with its superior stealth, avionics, network, and data-linking and sensor fusion.

While this has been speculatory, given the Chinese penchant for disinformation and never revealing the true extent of their systems’ capabilities, doubts about the J-20’s maneuvering were also put to rest in another video that surfaced online last year.

The J-20 currently flies with either the Russian AL-31F or the domestically developed WS-10C engines, while the WS-15 project concludes and is operational. Expected to have a higher thrust and super-cruise capability, the J-20 might match the Su-35, F-35, or the F-22 in kinematic performance.

Two-Seats For Training, Advanced Missions & ‘Wingmen Control’ ​

In state-media interviews, China’s J-20 pilots have said that training on the plane predominantly happens on simulators, which, albeit quite effective, will be eased with the two-seat variant. Secondly, in combat, the two seats are handy in complex missions like ground attacks under enemy air defense or long-range penetration.

But its most awaited and exciting use would be to control the Feihong FH-97 surveillance and attack drone concept at the Zhuhai airshow on September 29, 2021.

The FH-97 drone concept can carry different types of weapons, and has swarm and electronic warfare capabilities, said Wu Wei, a representative of China Aerospace Science Technology Corp’s (CASTC) Feihong product line, according to a report by Reuters.

A January 23 Global Times report said that the J-20 could get Directed Energy Weapons (DEW) and even an advanced radar for dedicated fighter-cum-early warning capability. The induction of the two-seat variant should be looked at in this light.

This will also encompass China’s intelligentized ‘warfare’ concept, reported by Eurasian Times if one goes by Wang Ya’nan’s, chief editor of Beijing-based Aerospace Knowledge magazine, revelation in the same Global Times article.

According to Ya’nan, “combat data from the second seat could be gathered, analyzed and used to train artificial intelligence, which could eventually replace the second pilot.”

China's J-20 'Races Ahead' Of F-22, F-35 Fighters To Have A Twin-Seat Variant To Control Loyal Wingmen Drones

A recent photo of China’s J-20 ‘Mighty Dragon’ with a twin-seat configuration emerged on social media, making it the only Generation 5 stealth fighter of this design. Lockheed Delivers ‘Game Changing’ High-Energy Laser Weapon HELIOS To US Navy; Ready For Real Combat This bares the rapid pace at...

eurasiantimes.com

 

[MH.Yang]

 

[Deino]

….

What Does The Photo Show?​

The J-20 is seen in a dark-grey color scheme that is believed to be active service camouflage, meaning the People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) has accepted it.

The serial number 2032 along its nose can also be evidence of it having been accepted for squadron service. The photo also shows some notable differences with the single-seat J-20 variants until now, beginning with the chin-mounted Electro-Optical Tracking System (EOTS) looking slightly different.

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Oh well, no. 2032 means simply it is the second prototype of the J-20‘s third subtype!