At the Changchun Airshow 2025, newly released images suggest that the Chinese Air Force may already operate an estimated fleet of 300 J-20 Mighty Dragon fifth-generation fighters, underscoring the country’s rapid growth in stealth aircraft production capabilities. The detail was particularly noted by open-source intelligence (OSINT) sources on social media, highlighting that one of the fighters displayed at the event bore the manufacturing number CB10300, corresponding to Lot 10 of the production run.
Expanding on the details, the aircraft in question carries the serial number 63106, along with markings indicating its assignment to the 19th Brigade of the Chinese Air Force. The event also featured three additional J-20 fighters, identified as 63005, 63101, and 63201, also belonging to the same unit based in Zhangjiakou/Ningyuan Province.
It is worth recalling that China rarely showcases its J-20 fighters publicly, let alone officially discloses figures regarding the number of fifth-generation aircraft currently in service. As such, the present estimates are based on evidence such as the above and on prior reports. For instance, The Diplomat reported in 2024 that China had already built up a fleet of 250 stealth fighters. Similarly, by late 2022, reports suggested that at least 200 J-20s had been produced, with estimates based on imagery released during Airshow China 2022.
In light of this notable increase in J-20 numbers, U.S. military authorities have voiced growing concerns, especially with projections indicating that Washington may fall behind Beijing in quantitative terms by 2027. This was the case of Brigadier General Doug Wickert, who in January shared stark figures to illustrate the trend: in modern combat aircraft, China would outnumber the U.S. at a ratio of 12 to 1, with an additional advantage of 5 to 3 in fifth-generation aircraft and 3 to 1 in maritime patrol aircraft.
To put this into perspective, specialized outlets report that the U.S. Air Force maintains a fleet of around 180 F-22 fighters, about thirty of which are configured in their oldest variant, limiting them to training and flight test roles. Adding to this fleet, the service received its 500th F-35A this past August, following the delivery of three additional aircraft to the Florida Air National Guard’s 125th Fighter Wing.
That said, it is also important to highlight that China is not only ramping up J-20 production but also developing a two-seat variant of the aircraft, known as the J-20S, which is speculated to have already entered service. As reported earlier in July this year, at least two of these aircraft were observed in this configuration, featuring a darker paint scheme, new electro-optical sensors arranged in a layout reminiscent of the U.S. F-35, and an AESA radar consistent with the latest single-seat production models.
Image credits to their respective owners
