The Chinese People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) appears to be expanding the J-20 stealth fighter’s firepower and combat prowess, as showcased in recent visuals where the Mighty Dragon is seen in ‘beast mode’ carrying external PL-15 air-to-air missiles. That, however, comes at the expense of the aircraft’s stealth features.
This comes after U.S. F-35 and Russian Su-57 aircraft were spotted carrying externally loaded missiles. The full story on Su-57 can be read here.
A video featuring a J-20 in flight, seemingly equipped with eight PL-15 medium-to-long-range air-to-air missiles, was posted to social media recently. A total of eight missiles could be seen in pairs on four underwing pylons of the aircraft, whereas the rest were stored internally in the main weapons bay.
Posting the image to social media site X, PLA watcher Rupprecht Dieno said that a similar image circulated on social media in December 2024, indicating that this may not be the first look at China’s J-20 flying in “beast mode.”
Subsequently, another PLA watcher ‘Hurin’ posted a photo of another J-20, which he claimed was armed with 14 to 16 PL-15 AAMs.
The J-20 has three internal concealed weapons bays, one in the underbelly and one on each side of the engines. Earlier, it could carry four PL-15 beyond-visual-range missiles in the main weapons bay under its belly and one PL-10 short-range missile each in either of its side bays.
However, in recent years, China has been exploring ways to expand the number of primary armaments that the J-20 can carry inside the internal carriage, besides making efforts to develop a variety of new, longer-range air-to-air missiles to be carried on external pylons.
During the Zhuhai Air Show held in November 2024, it unveiled the PL-15E missile—a compact, foldable fin design variant of the PL-15 AAM. The J-20 could carry six of these foldable fin missiles in its main weapons bay, as compared to just four PL-15s.
As explained by the EurAsian Times at the time, the PL-15E was produced to give Chinese fighter jets a distinct edge in long-range combat and increase the firepower of their combat jets without sacrificing their stealth characteristics.
This modification was believed to be inspired by the AMRAAM getting smaller fins to fit four of them into the internal weapon bay of the F-35. However, the new image shows the J-20 with PL-15 air-to-air missiles carried externally.
Stealth aircraft, like the J-20, typically use a weapons bay to conceal the weapons within their fuselage, to reduce radar cross-section area, and to improve aerodynamics.
An aircraft armed with external long-range air-to-air missiles on hard points under its wings—called the beast mode—certainly has more firepower. However, it loses its stealth character considerably.
As previously explained by Indian Air Force veteran and military analyst Air Marshal Anil Chopra (retd), the ability for stealthy platforms to carry more internally is an indispensable need for modern air forces as the “one who controls the aerospace controls the planet.”
In contrast, the J-20’s stealth technology allows it to engage enemy targets, escape detection, and enter contested airspace to establish air superiority. However, the stealthiness comes at the expense of a limited weapon-carrying capacity.
The J-20 appearing in a full beast mode is a move consistent with China’s overall strategy of enhancing the J-20’s combat power amid the looming threat of war in the region. Typically, the beast mode would allow the J-20 to carry 3-4 times more long-range missiles, as compared to the stealth mode.
Moreover, the PLAAF can strategically operate the combination of beast-mode J-20 and a typical stealthy J-20 aircraft in combat. For instance, stealthy J-20s could lead the pack, followed by beast-mode J-20s, when entering hostile airspace or facing off with the enemy in air combat.
China is not alone in flying its stealth fighters in beast mode. The US Air Force (USAF) fifth-generation fighter—the F-35 Lighting II—has also appeared carrying a full range of weapons and a larger payload on external hard points to expand its offensive capability against an adversary.
The J-20, however, has more payload capacity than the F-35. A US defense expert, Kris Osborn, earlier wrote: “The J-20 does operate with a “bomb-truck” like capacity to deliver more ordnance than an F-35 on a single mission, as it can take off with 27,998 pounds of internal and external ordnance, compared with an F-35 in beast mode, which can travel with 18,000 pounds of weapons.”
That said, escalating tensions in at least two significant hotspots in the Indo-Pacific—the South China Sea and the Taiwan Strait—have enhanced the possibility of conflict between the US and China. Thus, both sides are preparing for a potential battle and increasing firepower.
China’s Long-Range AAM Fleet Is Expanding
The use of PL-15 AAM externally is significant because it was previously assumed that the longer-range PL-16 and PL-17 would be carried externally on the aircraft due to their larger size.
The Chinese PL-15 missile is often compared with the American AIM-120 AMRAAM.
The PL-15 is an active radar-guided long-range AAM that uses a dual pulsed solid-propellant rocket and has an AESA radar. The missile is known for combining speed with maneuverability and purportedly has an operational range of 200 to 300 kilometers. Along with the J-20, the missile is cleared for use on J-10C, J-15, J-16, J-11B, and JF-17 Block-III.
The USAF earlier acknowledged that the decision to launch the AIM-260 program—which aims to develop a new air-to-air missile with a range greater than the currently standard AIM-120 AMRAAM—was largely influenced by the appearance of the PL-15.
In addition to that, some previous reports indicated that the PLA was developing a very long-range missile dubbed the PL-17, which is believed to be an active radar-guided, very long-range AAM (VLRAAM) with a claimed range of 400 kilometers.
That’s more than double the maximum range of the US military’s current longest-range air-to-air weapon, the AIM-120D. It is intended to take on larger targets such as Flight Refueller Aircraft (FRA) and AEW&C aircraft.
Additionally, the PLAAF is also working on the PL-21 long-range missile comparable to the American AIM-260 JATM and the Russian R-37M. It is also estimated to have a range of 300-400 kilometers.
Indian Air Force veteran Air Marshal Anil Chopra (retd) wrote in a previous EurAsian Times article: “Since the Gulf War, China has prioritized matching US capabilities. China’s military doctrine emphasizes the use of air power for maritime defense, particularly in nearby areas such as the South China Sea. While it lags in fighter aircraft, it has pushed ahead in AAMs.”
However, at this stage, it is difficult to determine whether the J-20 in beast mode configuration has become operational within the PLAAF or if it is still a work in progress.
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