Rafale Vs J-20: Aerial Supremacy का लड़ाई

The first batch of Dassault Rafale fighter jets inducted into the Indian Air Force 17th squadron at Ambala Air Force Station on July 29th. The Dassault Rafale is one of the Indian Air Force’s most technologically advanced fighter jets in its fleet.


Here is a technical comparison of the Dassault Rafale with the advanced Chengdu J-20 of the People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF).


China’s Air Force, the People’s Liberation Army Air Force operates a wide range of fighter jets in its fleet, including the Chengdu J-7 / J-10 / J-20, and Sukhoi SU-27 / SU-30MKK / SU-35S. In terms of their technical specifications, the Indian Air Force Dassault Rafale and China’s Chengdu J-20 are equally matched.


The Rafale, manufactured by France’s Dassault Aviation, is a twin-engine, multi-role fighter jet having canard delta wing design intended to perform air supremacy.

China’s Chengdu ‘Mighty Dragon’ J-20, built by Chengdu Aerospace Corporation for the People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) is a single-seat, twin-engine, stealth 5th generation fighter aircraft.


The radar systems on fighter jets are enabled to detect and track enemy aircraft and other targets. Both the Dassault Rafale and the Chengdu J-20 use Active Electronically Scanning Array (AESA). This type of radar system is considered to be the most advanced radar system in the world.

However, each radar system can be optimized with different avionics and technologies to have an edge over the other.


The Dassault Rafale is equipped with SPECTRA, an electronic warfare suite. SPECTRA protects against air and ground threats making it difficult to detect and attack the Rafale. The avionics have a highly reprogrammable system capable of analyzing threats, employing various methods of detection and tracking, decoying and jamming. The SPECTRA system contributes to nearly 30% of the Rafale’s cost.

The Chengdu-J20 AESA radar system is nose-mounted with an infrared / electro-optic search and tracking sensor. The aircraft’s passive electro-optical detection system provides the fighter pilot with a 360-degree view of the environment. The J-20 is also capable of processing real-time data from China’s military satellites.


Both fighter jets are multi-role aircraft, equipped with an array of weapons and capable of air-to-air combat, ground support, in-depth and anti-ship and deterrence missions.


The SCALP ground attack precision weapon and METEOR beyond visual range (BVR) air-to-air missile, with a range of 150 km, are the two weapons systems the Rafale will acquire with the Indian Air Force.

The Chengdu J-20 has an equally matched PL-15 (BVR) air-to-air missile, with a range of 200 km, a technologically advanced weapon in the People’s Liberation Army Air Force inventory.

The key difference between the two missiles – PL-15 is designed to attack large aircraft like mid-air refuelers but METEOR is capable of attacking smaller targets like Unmanned Aerial Vehicles or cruise missiles.


The 5th generation J-20 is a stealth fighter jet, with a reduced cross-section on its airframe to avoid detection by enemy radar.


The Dassault Rafale has an edge over others having an advanced tracking system capable of detecting and tracking even the extremely stealthy Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor during mock drills.

Since the Chengdu J-20 is heavily modelled on the F-22, there seems to be reasonable doubt regarding its stealth technology, especially since the Indian Air Force have been able to pick the J-20 on radar in the past.


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