The file photo shows a J-20 stealth fighter jet attached to the Chinese PLA Air Force flies through the clouds overhead during a flight training exercise. (eng.chinamil.com.cn/Photo by Yang Jun)

China will continue to upgrade the J-20 stealth fighter jet, including deploying the latest artificial intelligence (AI) and cognitive technologies, to make it perform at its best in a combat system, announced the aircraft's chief designer, who also said that the country's warplane makers are well aware of what military enthusiasts want to see.

Yang Wei, chief designer of J-20, made the remarks at a press conference held by the state-owned Aviation Industry Corp of China (AVIC) on Monday in Zhuhai, South China's Guangdong Province, a day ahead of the start of the Airshow China 2022.

It is AVIC's duty to surpass others in terms of equipment and technologies, Yang said. "When it comes to the future development of China's aviation industry, I think people all know what the country is in need of. 

"People know the development of advanced technologies, particularly military enthusiasts. We also know what people are hoping to see, and it is our duty to realize this," Yang said.

The development strategy of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Air Force used to be homeland defense, but now it has become air-space integration with both attack and defense capabilities, Yang said. 

"A strategic air force means that it can go out in addition to homeland defense, which is our direction of future development," he said. 

It was recently announced that the J-20 has been deployed in all the eastern, western, southern, northern and central parts of China, and the combat capability, number and scope of the J-20 have all seen significant increases, according to Yang.

Fifth-generation fighter jets of all countries, including the US' F-22 and the F-35 as well as Russia's Su-57, are undergoing upgrades, and so will China's J-20, due to new findings and new concepts in recent confrontational air combat exercises, Yang said.

War is never about fighting alone, it is about clashes between systems that involve the intelligentization of equipment, Yang said.  

"Four J-20s can form a formation, which is a small system; a J-20 can team up with a J-16 and a J-10C in another small system. Recent news reports also suggested that the J-20 can fly together with drones, which is also a system," Yang said.

The J-20 will also closely integrate into ground, sea, air and space systems to play its optimal role in the whole system, and this includes the deployment of the latest AI and cognitive technologies, the chief designer said.

In addition to upgrading the J-20 in the 20 series aircraft, there will also be new developments, as people will eventually see members in the 30, 40 and 50 series aircraft, Yang said.