The J-20 pilot revealed a technology that China's fifth generation stealth fighters did not disclose to the outside world, namely "smart skin" technology. Before the J-20, no fighter plane had used this technology except the American F-35. This technology has always been an advanced technology in the United States. China's J-20 has also used this technology, and the United States may never show it off again.
So what exactly is smart skin technology?
Smart skin is an organization that uses smart materials to quickly respond to changes in the external environment. This technical concept was first put forward by the US Air Force in 1985. It is mainly used for stealth, surveillance, early warning and communication by implanting intelligent structures in the shells of spacecraft, warships and submarines. With the rapid development of smart skin technology, all countries are eager to enter this field, but there is no other country except China and the United States.
In addition to the American F-35, only China's J-20 has smart skin technology. Smart skin technology makes the whole plane look like a sensor, and it is easy to highly integrate information. The F-22, another stealth fighter of the US military, does not have this technology. Because the F-22 is a technology of the 1980s, there is naturally no opportunity for the skin technology, a high-tech modern technology.
Therefore, there is a certain gap between the F-22 and the J-20 in technology. From the information point of view, F35, F22 and J-20 belong to the fifth generation fighter, while F22 can only be regarded as the fourth generation fighter. In addition to the skin technology, the J-20 also uses a flexible DSI inlet, which can be intelligently deformed according to the needs of air combat. It is also an indisputable fact that China is ahead in science and technology.