Chengdu Aircraft Industry Group under Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC) releases footage of multiple J-20 fighter jets in yellow primer undergoing test flights in January 2026. Photo: Screenshot from the official Sina Weibo account of AVIC

Official Chinese media on Saturday provided details on rarely seen systematic test flights featuring newly manufactured J-20A stealth fighter jets, with an expert saying that the Chinese manufacturer has reached a new level in aircraft production.

In a rare move, Chengdu Aircraft Industry Group under Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC) has recently displayed footage of multiple J-20 fighter jets in yellow primer undergoing test flights. The company said the aircraft has successfully completed the systematic test flight organization and training of 10 types of aircraft across 5 locations, covering manned and unmanned operations, indoor and outdoor test sites, as well as research and development and acceptance test flights, China Central Television (CCTV) News reported on Saturday.

Song Xinzhi, a Chinese military affairs commentator, said in the CCTV report that the move indicates that during the test flight phase, AVIC Chengdu Aircraft Company is now not only verifying whether the fighter jets meet performance standards, but also testing the integrated operational capabilities of the entire aerial combat system. 

Such test flights include manned-unmanned collaboration, as well as the verification of theoretical calculations through actual test flights. They involve the air-ground collaborative command of multiple aircraft types across multiple bases, covering the entire combat process, Song said, noting that the J-20 is likely a key node in the aerial combat system, serving as both a combat node and a command node.

The CCTV report showed footage of some of the aircraft involved in the test flights, including multiple J-20A stealth fighter jets in yellow primer, and a type of vertical takeoff and landing drone.
 
Song said that this kind of systematic test flight has completely transformed the aviation industry’s traditional model of merely manufacturing a specific type of aircraft and then conducting performance inspections after it was newly manufactured. Instead, it is manufacturing a whole new combat system and even exploring innovative operational approaches.

The Chengdu-based aircraft company is advancing to a new level and entering an unprecedented stage in the development and production of new aircraft, Song said.

Another highlight of the footage is the J-20A stealth fighter jets in yellow primer. The J-20A made its debut at China’s V-Day military parade on September 3, 2025 in Beijing.

Military affairs expert Zhang Xuefeng told the Global Times that the additional “A” in its designation indicates that the J-20A is a significantly upgraded version of the J-20.

Compared with the original J-20, the J-20A features a redesigned rear canopy, which is expected to reduce the aerodynamic drag and enhances its efficiency in supersonic flight, Zhang said.

Such a new design demonstrates the continuous advancement of the Chinese military’s understanding of aerial combat and the ongoing refinement of warplane performance, Zhang noted.