THE People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Air Force has for the first time placed its J-20 stealth fighter jet on display at an open-house activity that started Friday in Changchun, Jilin Province.

A J-20 fifth-generation stealth fighter jet has been parked on site during the Air Force’s 2025 Open-house Activity and the Changchun Air Show, only meters away from spectators.

The radar-evading fighter features world-class technology and capability. In addition to the ground display, the J-20 is also part of airborne performances at the event. It took part in a tactical maneuver flight show Friday morning together with another three J-20s.

They conducted a flyby in a diamond-shaped formation and presented dazzling maneuvers.

Designed by the Chengdu Aircraft Design and Research Institute, an Aviation Industry Corp. of China (AVIC) subsidiary in Sichuan, the J-20 is China’s first stealth-class combat aircraft and so far the largest and heaviest fighter in service in the military. Its maiden flight at an AVIC airport in Sichuan on Jan. 11, 2011 sparked nationwide excitement.

Code-named Weilong, or Mighty Dragon, the J-20 made its public debut in November 2016 at the 11th China International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition in Zhuhai, Guangdong. It entered service with the Air Force later that year, becoming the world’s third stealth fighter jet to enter service following the F-22 Raptor and F-35 Lightning II of the United States.

Until now, there have been three models in the J-20 series — the baseline configuration, which is on display in Changchun; the J-20A, an upgraded single-seat variant that is equipped with new, more powerful domestically developed engines; and the J-20S, the world’s first and only twin-seat stealth jet.

All three types took part in flight performances during a grand parade earlier this month in Beijing.(SD-Agencies)