Beijing: The J-15 fighter jet, likely to be deployed on China`s first aircraft carrier, is able to cover an area with a radius of over 1,000 km on attack missions, a chief designer said Saturday.
The jet reaches similar technical standards of the third-generation carrier-borne fighters currently in service, said Sun Cong, a member of the 12th National Committee of the Chinese People`s Political Consultative Conference who is here to attend the political advisory body`s annual session.
"The jet is close to the US F-18 fighter jet in terms of bomb load, combat radius and mobility," Sun told Xinhua.
Great progress has been made on the fire-control radar and guided missiles on the fighter but more has to be done to improve its electronic countermeasures, he said.
Nicknamed "Flying Shark", the J-15 fighter passed a test flight Aug 31, 2009.
Last November, it conducted a successful landing on China`s first aircraft carrier, the Liaoning.
IANS
