Article Posted on : - Jan 05, 2011

The images of the new fighter called J-20 has appeared in several official and non-official Chinese websites.

WASHINGTON (PTI): The US has said it is aware of the fact that China is in the process of making fifth generation fighter aircraft and that it is not concerned over the development.

The Pentagon has "no concerns" on the development of fifth generation fighter planes by China, its spokesman Col Dave Lapan told reporters.

"We are aware of (such development)," he said.

"It is still unclear how far along they are in the process. There are questions about the engine, things of that nature," Lapan said when asked about the pictures of such fighter planes appearing on various official and non-official Chinese websites.

"The photographs, published on several unofficial Chinese and foreign defence-related websites appear to show a J-20 prototype making a high-speed taxi test – usually one of the last steps before an aircraft makes its first flight – according to experts on aviation and China's military," The Wall Street Journal reported.

The daily said China has made rapid progress in developing a capability to produce advanced weapons, including unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), after decades of importing and reverse engineering Russian arms.

The photographs throw a fresh spotlight on the sensitive issue of China's military modernisation just as Washington and Beijing try to improve relations following a series of public disputes in 2010, the report said.