China Military Bugle, the official media account of China's Ministry of National Defense, posted a video on 11/2 summarizing drill activities of the country's air force, ballistic missile force, and army.
Air force footage revealed at least 15 J-20 stealth fighters moving in formation on a runway, mimicking the "elephant walk" drill the United States and its allies often conduct. According to Chinese media, only 12 countries globally possess more than 15 stealth fighters to perform such a power projection exercise.
It remains unclear whether these aircraft belong to a single regiment or were mobilized from multiple units for the drill.
The "elephant walk" drill tests combat readiness and standard pre-takeoff procedures on a large scale at air bases. Pilots are required to quickly maneuver aircraft into formation on the runway at minimal safe distances, then prepare for successive, continuous takeoffs.
Beyond showcasing military strength, the drill also helps commanders assess the ability to deploy maximum force in a short period, simulating a surge in sorties during military operations.
The J-20 is one of China's two fifth-generation fighters, alongside the J-35 series. The J-20 has three variants: the J-20A, which features a modified nose compared to the original, a shorter cockpit canopy, and an extended rear fuselage for additional fuel capacity, avionics, and electronic warfare equipment. The third variant is the two-seat J-20S.
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Chinese J-20 fighters in formation from a video released on 11/2. *Screenshot* |
All three variants appear to use the WS-10C engine, a stopgap solution while Chinese engineers work to complete the more powerful WS-15 engine. In late 2024, social media images showed a J-20A prototype equipped with the WS-15 engine, but deployment progress remains unclear.
Photographs taken in 9/2025 suggest China may have produced at least 300 J-20 fighters over 16 years. In comparison, the United States manufactured a total of 195 F-22 stealth fighters between 1996 and 2011. This means China has rolled out at least 1.5 times more J-20 combat aircraft than the total number of F-22s produced by the US during the same period.
Pham Giang (According to Xinhua, Aviationist)
