Military Watch Magazine

China’s J-20 Air Superiority Fighter Seen in Rare ‘Beast Mode’ Configuration with 16 Air-to-Air Missiles

Footage released on November 4 has shown China’s most capable air superiority fighter the J-20 in a rare air-to-air combat configuration, with the aircraft integrating eight PL-15 air-to-air missiles on external underwing pylons. Referred to informally as ‘beast most’ in the Western world, such configurations allow fifth generation fighters to significantly expand their firepower, with externally carried weaponry supplementing that already inside fighters’ internal weapons bays. This seriously compromises the radar evading stealth profiles of the fighters, however, allowing them to be detected, tracked, and locked onto at much longer ranges. Fifth generation fighters accordingly usually integrate their entire missile arsenals in internal weapons bays, with the J-20’s bays able to accommodate eight missiles including six radar guided missiles in a main bay, and one smaller infrared guided missile in each of its two side bays.