With the dual racks allowing it to carry eight air-to-air missiles externally, the J-20 would be able to be armed with 14 missiles.
A new clip emerged on Chinese microblogging site Weibo on Sep. 28, 2025, showing the PLA Air Force’s J-20 flying in what we had previously described as “beast mode”, with eight long-range AAMs (Air-to-Air Missiles) under the wings. The missiles could either be PL-15s or PL-17s, but cannot be identified owing to the blurry image. The first such sighting was on Feb. 10, 2025, and on both occasions the clips and screengrabs were shared by Chinese military researcher Andreas Rupprecht.
The J-20 is the PLAAF’s frontline stealth fighter, with 300 now confirmed in service after the appearance of the 300th J-20 to be built during the recent Changchun air show. These would be joined by an unidentified number of – possibly LRIP (Low-Rate Initial Production) – newer J-20A and the twin-seat J-20S/J-20AS, with newer images, capturing the build numbers and tail serials, giving us an idea of how many of those have been produced.
Initial assessments have put the J-20 as possibly being meant as an ‘airborne sniper’, slipping through fighter screens using its stealth and jamming to take out vulnerable support aircraft like refueling tankers and AEW&C (Airborne Early Warning and Control) planes. Also, using advanced sensing and networking capabilities, it could also act as an airborne command post to enhance situational awareness and optimize better tactical decision-making for other non-stealth Gen. 4.5 and Gen. 4 jets, in a role similar to the F-35.
Not sure if this J-20 in “beast mode” carrying 8 PL-15 (?) AAMs on external hardpoints was already posted!?
(Via @太湖军I名) pic.twitter.com/ZSiALreMJg
— @Rupprecht_A (@RupprechtDeino) September 28, 2025
However, flying with external payloads bares the tactical situations in which a stealth aircraft might have to compromise its radar invisibility – either out of desperation due to losses, or force multiplication to overwhelm the adversary. This depends upon how the war progresses for either side in its opening stages.
What do both the clips show us?
While there has been some initial confusion over whether the latest clip is the same as the one from February, a closer examination reveals that they are two different instances. The clip from February was shot against overcast skies. We also see the outline of a panel in the open position on the ventral starboards-side, with a similar faint bulge seen on the port-side too. These could be open landing gear doors, suggesting the J-20 is coming in for landing.
In the newer clip, we see nearly blue skies, peppered with clouds. Also, we do not see any indication of open landing gear doors, which on the J-20 are a two-part system. However, this cannot be said for certain, given that the underside is cast in a dark shadow, which is heavily obscuring that region. The J-20 can be clearly made out to be heading in a slightly inclined trajectory, meaning it is possibly climbing after taking off.
I think we have seen this image in a smaller version already in December (second image), but now an ever clearer, larger version and a video was leaked showing a J-20 in “beast mode” carrying what appears to be 8x PL-15 (?) AAMs.
(Image via @人畜无害遥感星 from Weibo) pic.twitter.com/hlwI5MCiFO
— @Rupprecht_A (@RupprechtDeino) February 10, 2025
While we are certain that the two clips have been taken in different moments in time, what we do not know is if they show the same aircraft, or the same region. Any number of combinations is possible. Lastly, it does appear that both airframes have a yellow tinge, and not the dark grey or dark black schemes on the older J-20, the newer J-20A and the twin-seat J-20s/J-20AS. If it is indeed that paint scheme, then the location could be the Chengdu Aircraft Corporation’s (CAC) facility.
Assuming that is the case, it could also suggest the developer is testing the new dual rack ejector rails for the J-20, with such tests assessing the structural integrity, behavior of the aircraft, the missile, the rack and the impact on its RCS (Radar Cross-Section).
The latest Changchun air show also saw the J-20 being put on static display for the first time, with never-before-seen close up clips of its different sensor arrays around the cockpit and engine intake section. While their designation and use has not been officially identified, these could be missile approach warning sensors, radar warning receivers and directional infrared countermeasures.
If I’m not mistaken, then is this the first clear image showing a J-20 launching a PL-10 AAM.
(Image via PLAAF / @人民空军 from Weibo) pic.twitter.com/fyqamTwf8s
— @Rupprecht_A (@RupprechtDeino) November 27, 2024
Weapons stores, tactics and technology and doctrine
In both the clips, the external stores consist of eight AAMs, of either the 300 km range PL-15, or the longer-ranged PL-17. These are split into two missiles for each dual-rack, with two racks on each wing, for a total of eight missiles externally. Four PL-15s that can be carried in the internal weapon bays and one short-range PL-10 WVR (Within Visual Range) AAM each on the two side internal bays.
Assuming the J-20 in both clips is also carrying internal stores, it brings the total AAM payload capacity to 14 missiles (12 PL-15/PL-17 BVR AAMs, and two PL-10 short-range AAMs). As for ground-strike roles, the common consensus is that J-20, unlike the F-35, is not meant for those missions. The size of its internal bays might not be able to accommodate such munitions.
We previously explained here at The Aviationist how this AAM “beast mode” reflects on the prevailing battlespace situation from each progressive day of degraded airborne, and ground-based adversary anti-air capability.
PLA commanders might decide whether to fly the J-20s in “beast” or stealth modes depending upon what pace they want to conduct their campaigns, and not a tempo dictated by the U.S.. Large fleets of externally armed J-20s allow to rapidly overwhelm an adversary and greater target engagements, but trades off stealth. Even in this case, however, not all J-20s would be in “beast” mode, with a significant number still flying in stealth mode.
🙂↕️ https://t.co/C1hjCc0Lyw pic.twitter.com/x6g30Me2u5
— Húrin (@Hurin92) September 18, 2025
These would be supported by large numbers of manned and unmanned AEW&C, Gen. 4 and Gen. 4.5 jets and refueling tankers. The externally loaded J-20, and its twin-seat J-20S version, is just an effort to make the jet into a complete stealth air-dominance fighter.
PLAAF×CCTV A2A映像
Y-20A、YY-20A、J-20、J-16
2/2 pic.twitter.com/wTQoeVDbZW
— お砂糖wsnbn (@sugar_wsnbn) September 18, 2025
J-20 and PL-10 seen again in stunning detail
On a different note, aesthetics with weapons systems arouse interest in both the layman and the war nerd. On Sep. 18, the PLA’s official channel released a stunning 8K two-and-a-half minute long video of six Y-20s (three Y-20As, three YY-20A refuelers) supporting a formation of four J-20s and four J-16s.
🇨🇳 The Chinese Air Force has published for the first time a video in 8K resolution: refueling of J-16 and J-20 fighters by the Y-20U tanker aircraft pic.twitter.com/Z87olVIR3f
— Usa Europe Asia (@usaeuropeasia) September 18, 2025
While we can clearly see the J-20’s refueling probe extended, colored orange from the inside and connecting with the YY-20A refuelers, what is interesting was that the stealth jet flew with both its side rails, carrying the PL-10, extended in a significant portion of the clip.
