O novo caça furtivo chinês
09/11/2012
Continua em fase de testes um novo caça furtivo chinês, o segundo a ser apresentado desde 2011. Pequim espera que o J-31 venha dar um impulso nas capacidades aéreas do país, mais ainda vai ter de esperar bastante, já que o primeiro caça, o J-20, apresentado em 2011, só entrará em acção em 2018.China ‘makes first test flight’ of new stealth fighter jet
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The J-31, the second stealth plane to be unveiled by China in less than two years, flew for 11 minutes on Wednesday morning, the state-run Global Times reported, citing an eyewitness.
Photos posted online by Chinese military enthusiasts appeared to show the black-painted combat plane in mid-flight. Images of the aircraft were first leaked online in September.
China’s first stealth fighter, the J-20, was unveiled in early 2011 but is not expected to enter service until 2018. The country’s first aircraft carrier entered service last month, with others capable of carrying aircraft expected to follow.
The J-31 appears to be more mobile than the J-20, with its landing gear suggesting it is designed to be launched from an aircraft carrier, military expert Andrei Chang told AFP.
He said the J-31 appeared similar to the latest “fifth” generation of US-designed stealth fighters, but with a less powerful engine and a lower proportion of sophisticated radar-blocking composite materials.
