First pics: China’s J-20 stealth fighter armed with a missile

Here are what might be the first photos and videos of China’s J-20 stealth fighter equipped with an air-to-air missile.

We’ve seen this coming for several weeks now as photos and videos emerged on the Chinese internet showing the second known J-20 (dubbed serial number 2002) flying with its weapons bay open and a missile rack popping out.  

Notice in the video below how the J-20’s missile rack allows its weapons bay doors to close while the missile is still attached to the rack, unlike those found on American stealth jets like the F-22 Raptor. This may help cut down on drag and reduce the plane’s radar signature.

(For more on this, check out David Cenciotti’s analysis of the design of those found on the J-20.)

So, a little over two years after the J-20’s first flight, the aircraft may be ready to conduct weapons tests. (Or, Chinese engineers just want to make sure the design of the plane’s weapons bay and racks work.)