From Overseas Press

China jet no reason for US defense budget rise

(chinadaily.com.cn)
Updated: 2011-01-14 11:03

The successful maiden test of China's homemade stealth fighter J-20 has taken the whole world by surprise. However, China's breakthrough in aviation industry should not justify US increase in military spending, said an article in Los Angeles Times on Jan 12.

According to the article, some experts marvel at the incredible stealth technology of J-20. "This aircraft does have great potential to be superior in some respects to the American F-22, and could be decisively superior to the F-35," said Richard Fisher, a US senior fellow on Asian military affairs.

Others predict that the plane may be pretty much invisible to radar, said the article. "You can tell it has some serious stealth technology," proclaims one former Navy pilot now in the defense investment business quoted by Fox News. "My F-18 looks like an 18-wheeler on radar. That thing might not even show up."

The article believed that it would not be too long before some members of Congress calls for the reopening of the F-22 production line, cut off by US Defense Secretary Robert Gates in 2009 after only 187 planes had been built.

But given a plane whose capabilities have yet to be fully known, another arms race is unnecessary, said the article. "We too may end up paying a price, as the 'threat' of China's J-20 is invoked to justify further increases in our own bloated defense budget."