The Indian Air Force (IAF) has taken a significant step by deploying its state-of-the-art Rafale fighter jets for the prestigious multinational exercise, Red Flag 24, which is being held on US soil for the first time. During this exercise, the IAF Rafales will engage in simulated dogfights with the American F-35 stealth fighters, with the latter standing in for the Chinese J-20.

Let’s delve into the key differences between these aircraft:

Generational Gap:

The Rafale is considered a ‘4+ generation’ aircraft, comparable to the Chinese J-11BG or the American F-18E Super Hornet.

In contrast, the J-20 belongs to the fifth generation, alongside only two other active fighters globally: the American F-22 Raptor and the F-35 Lightning II jets.

This generational difference implies that the J-20 is more advanced in terms of technology and capabilities.

Weight And Size:

The Rafale is lighter, weighing around 15,000 kg.

The J-20, on the other hand, is a heavyweight fighter, tipping the scales at approximately 32,000 kg.

The significant weight disparity places the J-20 in a higher class of aircraft.

Purpose And Design:

The Rafale was designed as a versatile multirole fighter, capable of performing a wide range of missions.

In contrast, the J-20 was purpose-built as an air superiority fighter with stealth capabilities. However, most of the technical parameters not disclosed by the Chinese and is kept as a closely guarded secret. China hardly discloses technical data of their advanced platforms mostly due to their tall claims about advanced technological lead which could be just for propaganda purposes. Their basic defence platforms have proved to be utter flops in many African and Asian markets. Many countries have also discontinued to use Chinese weapons because of their low quality and dangerous outcomes. Therefore, the capability of the J-20 is hardly known to either Indian or western counterparts.

China manufactures multiple classes of fighters simultaneously, while smaller manufacturers like France can only produce one fighter class at a time.

Manoeuvrability And Speed:

The Rafale boasts superior manoeuvrability in close-range dogfights compared to the F-35.

Additionally, the Rafale can fly at supersonic speeds with efficient fuel usage, making it more superior than China’s various fighter jets, including the J-20.

In summary, while the Rafale and the J-20 serve different purposes and belong to different weight classes, the ongoing training exercises provide valuable insights for Indian pilots as they simulate combat scenarios against the F-35, representing the little known Chinese J-20.

Our Bureau