Recently a satellite phono of a J-20 fighters and four J-6 fighters appeared on the Chinese internet, and according to the analysis, the old J-6 fighters are modified to be manipulated by J-20 fighter jets.
J-6 fighters occupy an important position in the history of China’s Air Force. They have fought fiercely in the national air defense operations. They have achieved one brilliant result after another and have shot down many types including US advanced fighters. In 2010, the J-6 fighter, a grandfather fighter developed in 1958, finally withdrew from China’s military sequence.
Due to huge possession of J-6 fighters, many J-6 fighters were sealed in retired aircraft storage centers, and some were modified into drone target aircrafts for military trainings.
It’s reported that J-6 target drones can fly autonomously, change its own course, and increase or decrease their speeds.
J-6 target drones are not only flexible in flight, but also have the mobility of a real fighter. Its body size is “smaller” than that of the 3rd and 3.5th generations, so it is less likely to be detected and stabilized by airborne radar.
The four J-6 fighters in the picture are in the same row as the J-20 fighter, therefore, they were likely to be in a system fusion test.
After all, as a modified jet drone, J-6 fighters can perform some basic operations with J-20 fighter due to their speed and performance, while propeller-driven drones like Caihong and Yilong drones are too slow to keep up with the J-20 fighters.
However, J-20 fighter has a natural weakness in becoming a drone controller – it’s a single-seat fighter, and the pilot needs to go all out to control his own fighter. If the assigned drones are only performing some reconnaissance of planned routes or a ground strike mission, the pilot may be able to cope, but if an air combat mission is to be carried out, then a pilot is completely incapable of driving his own aircraft while control so many drones.
So, will J-20 fighters develop a two-seat version? The size of J-20 fighter would be enough for it. If two-seat J-20 is born, weapon system officer in the back seat would be able to fully devote himself to operations of drones.
