By Dylan Malyasov

Copyright defence-blog

China has reached a new threshold in its fifth-generation fighter program, confirming the People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) now fields at least 300 Chengdu J-20 stealth aircraft. The expansion underscores Beijing’s rapid pace in deploying advanced combat aircraft and places China second only to the United States in operational fifth-generation fleets. The confirmation came in mid-September as four J-20s arrived in Changchun, Jilin province, ahead of an air show opening this week. According to leading Chinese military researcher Andreas Rupprecht, one of the aircraft, bearing the serial number 63106, corresponds to the 300th production airframe. Rupprecht noted the construction code “CB10300” visible on the fuselage indicated it was part of the 10th production batch and the 300th J-20 built. Screenshot from X Rupprecht added that three other J-20s identified for participation in the Changchun event carried serials 63005, 63101, and 63201, all tied to the 19th Air Brigade stationed at Zhangjiakou in the Ningyuan Autonomous Province. On September 16, he shared an image showing, for the first time, a J-20 positioned on static display, highlighting China’s growing willingness to showcase its most advanced combat platform. Screenshot from X The rapid expansion confirms estimates published by The Diplomat in June 2024, which assessed production at about 250 airframes and more than 200 in active service. Since then, at least 50 new aircraft have been delivered, accelerating Beijing’s position in the fifth-generation race. The U.S. Air Force, by comparison, fields 180 F-22 Raptors, though 32 of those are in older configurations mainly reserved for training and testing. FlightGlobal’s World Air Forces 2025 report counted roughly 246 F-35As in active U.S. Air Force service as of the end of last year. The combined American fleet of fifth-generation fighters remains larger than China’s, but Beijing’s rate of delivery is narrowing the gap. The steady rise of the J-20 illustrates Beijing’s focus on developing a modern combat force designed to contest U.S. air dominance in Asia and beyond. The aircraft, often compared with the F-22 and F-35, has been integrated into multiple brigades across China, expanding both its reach and operational familiarity within the PLAAF. While the U.S. continues to invest in upgrades for the F-35 and maintains the stealth edge of the F-22, the speed of China’s output signals a long-term competition. With 300 aircraft now confirmed, the J-20 fleet has grown from a developmental program less than a decade ago into the backbone of China’s modern airpower.