The J-20 is a fifth generation fighter aircraft that has elevated China to a world leader in combat aviation. J-20 Mighty Dragon, Asia’s First Stealth Fighter In The Era Of China’s Military Risetraces the development of the J-20 from its roots in the Korean War to the current deployment status as well as the responses other nations have taken to counterbalance this modern air superiority fighter. The text is organized into five chapters covering China’s need for an air superiority fighter, development, deployment, the aircraft’s future and assets needed for deployment, and international challenges and responses. Supporting the highly informative text are hundreds of color photos and captions that give further insight into this highly advanced fighter aircraft. In addition to the photographs, five pages of color profiles are also included, as well as a map displaying the locations of units operating the J-20. Completing the book are 11 pages of footnotes that annotate each chapter. This is not a typical book to have on the modeling work bench. There aren’t any scale drawings, rivet diagrams, or air-frame detail photos. This book is intended for someone that wants a serious, in depth look at the J-20’s developmental rationale, performance compared to other fifth generation fighter aircraft, and the response of the United States in the Asian/American arms race.

I can highly recommend this book if you are interested in a comprehensive look at China’s military and technological advances over the past 30 years. Thank you to Casemate for the review sample.