KC-46 Loses Boom | J-20 Station Wagon | Threat: J-10 "Vigorous Dragon"

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Edited by: Sidney McAlear

🎯 China’s J-20S Now Comes in a “Family Model” Style

The People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) has officially fielded the J-20S, a twin-seat variant of the J-20 stealth fighter, marking the first time a fifth-generation aircraft has entered service with a weapons systems officer (WSO) onboard. Designated J-20S or J-20B, the aircraft is operational with the 172nd Air Brigade at Cangzhou Flight Training Base, a dual-role unit near Beijing which serves as an advanced training unit and combat reserve squadron.

The second seat enables complex mission sets such as loyal wingman control, electronic warfare, and airborne command roles, addressing pilot workload on long-range missions. While the J-20S could serve for training pilots, it seems unlikely due to the cost of modern fighters.

The J-20 holds a major advantage in its combat radius which is roughly twice that of the F-35 or F-22. Analysts suggest the J-20S could become a frontline combat platform, forming entire dedicated squadrons, mirroring how China transitioned its Flanker acquisitions to all twin-seaters like the J-16 (more).

🎯 DARPA Chief Warns Quantum Sensing Makes Stealth Vulnerable

The Deputy Director of DARPA, Rob McHenry, cautioned on June 25, 2025, that emerging quantum sensors combined with AI-driven sensor fusion could soon enable the detection of stealth aircraft like the F‑35 and B‑21, calling traditional low-observable designs “obsolete” in future conflicts (more).

🎯 Two Chinese Nationals Charged with Spying on U.S. Navy for Beijing’s Intelligence Service

In late June 2025, the FBI and NCIS arrested Yuance Chen and Liren Lai, charging both with acting as unregistered agents of China’s Ministry of State Security (MSS). According to the Justice Department, Chen collected intelligence on U.S. Navy recruitment centers, including identifying recruits of Chinese origin, and conducted surveillance of the USS Abraham Lincoln in San Diego. Lai, operating under cover of tourism and online retail, visited military sites in California and Washington State from 2022 to 2025.

The suspects allegedly coordinated with MSS handlers in Guangzhou, exchanged at least $10,000 via a dead drop in Livermore, CA, and sought to identify vulnerable personnel for further exploitation. Both face up to 10 years in prison and $250,000 fines if convicted (more).

🎯 British F-35B's Indian Adventure: Grounded Fighter Jet to Be Dismantled for Homeward Journey

A British F-35B Lightning II is likely to be disassembled and transported back to the UK via a Boeing C-17 Globemaster after being grounded in India following an in-flight emergency and weather divert. The jet, which usually operates from the aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales, had to divert to Thiruvananthapuram International Airport in southern India. I just hope the pilot tried to pronounce the tower’s name on the radio (more).

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🎯 Dutch and Norwegian F-35s Hired As Mall Cops

Starting in September, Dutch and Norwegian F-35 fighter jets will be assigned to guard duty in Poland, protecting equipment and supplies destined for Ukraine. This deployment is in response to a request from NATO's SHAPE, and the jets will be stationed until December. The jets' mission is two-fold: safeguard military equipment bound for Ukraine and act as a quick-response force against violations of NATO airspace (more).

🎯 KC-46 Tanker v. F-22 Jousting with a Boom Arm

A KC-46 Pegasus tanker, based at McConnell Air Force Base in Kansas, suffered a mid-air mishap off the coast of Virginia during a refueling mission with F-22 Raptors, losing its boom in the process. This is not the first time a KC-46 has had issues with its boom…but to be fair, this is also not the first time a fighter pilot has had trouble getting gas. So, who is at fault…TBD.

Another incident occurred off the coast of California last year during a refueling operation with an F-15E Strike Eagle. The KC-46's remote vision system (RVS), used by boom operators, has been a particular source of technical trouble for years. A fix for the problematic RVS is now expected to be delayed until summer 2027, three years behind schedule. A safety investigation of the incident is underway (more).

🎯 Stealthy Steps: Rheinmetall's New Plant to Boost F-35A Production for Germany and Allies

Germany's Rheinmetall has unveiled a state-of-the-art aerospace manufacturing plant in Weeze, North Rhine-Westphalia, set to produce fuselage sections for the F-35A Lightning II stealth fighter jets. This strategic move marks a significant chapter in transatlantic defense cooperation, bolstering Rheinmetall's role in the European aerospace defense industry. The plant, a product of Germany's defense modernization efforts, is expected to churn out up to 36 fuselages annually, supplying not just the German Air Force but also allied nations. The commencement of formal production in July 2025 aligns with Rheinmetall's timeline. This venture promises a double victory for Germany - a fleet of fifth-generation stealth fighters and the creation of 400 jobs in the Düsseldorf region (more).

🎯 Top Brass Rally for More F-35A Fighters and E-7 Wedgetail Reinstatement

A group of 16 retired 4-star generals, including six former Air Force Chiefs of Staff, have joined arms with the Air & Space Forces Association leadership to call upon Congress. Their plea? To triple the procurement of F-35A fighters in the 2026 fiscal year and to restore funding for the E-7 Wedgetail battle management platform. The generals underscore the strategic necessity of these assets in maintaining superior air combat capabilities. The final decision, however, hinges on budget approval from Congress (more). Our last Lowdown highlighted the initial cut to the E-7 program: Operation Midnight Hammer | F-35 & E-7 Buys Cut 

SNAPSHOT

➤ A Delta flight from Atlanta to Raleigh lost a trailing-edge flap mid-air, which landed in a North Carolina driveway.

➤ The U.S. Air Force is redirecting $400 million in leftover Sentinel ICBM funds to retrofit a Boeing 747 gifted by Qatar as a stopgap Air Force One, ahead of VC‑25B delivery in 2027–28.

➤ United Aircraft Corporation, overseeing Sukhoi and Mikoyan, plans to raise fighter jet output by 30% by 2030 while laying off 1,500 Moscow-based managers to improve efficiency and stem financial losses.

➤ The U.S. Navy is preparing to order up to 6,000 expendable active decoys—likely the BriteCloud 218—to bolster F-35 and F/A-18 self-protection, with a contract award expected by November 2026.

➤ A Chinese geostationary satellite reportedly used a 2‑watt laser from 36,000 km to transmit data at 1 Gbps—five times faster than Starlink, marking a breakthrough in space-based optical communications.

THREAT OF THE DAY (TOD)

Country of Origin: China
Initial Operational Capability: 2005
Primary Role: Multirole fighter (air-to-air, air-to-ground)
Variants:
🔸 J-10A – Original single-seat multirole variant
🔸 J-10B – Upgraded with DSI intake, AESA radar, and IRST
🔸J-10C – Most advanced; equipped with KLJ-7A AESA radar, improved EW, and capability to fire PL-15 long-range AAMs
🔸 J-10S – Twin-seat trainer/combat variant
🔸 J-10CE – Export version for Pakistan

Speed: Mach 2.2
Range: ~1,240 miles (2,000 km) combat radius with drop tanks
Propulsion: Russian AL-31FN turbofan (early variants), shifting to Chinese WS-10B engine

Armament:

• PL-10, PL-12, PL-15 air-to-air missiles

• Laser-guided bombs, anti-ship and air-to-ground missiles

• 23mm internal cannon

Avionics: Advanced datalink, helmet-mounted sight, AESA radar (J-10C), and electronic warfare pods
Operational Use: Widely deployed by the PLA Air Force (PLAAF), increasingly seen in Taiwan Strait exercises and regional power projection

🟠 Fun Fact: The J-10 was initially rumored to have Israeli design influence (based on the canceled IAI Lavi), but China has denied this. Its latest J-10C variant is now exported to Pakistan, marking a significant expansion of China's 4.5-generation fighter diplomacy.

C) 2011. The Air Force awarded Boeing the KC-X contract in February 2011. It was a fixed-price development deal to deliver 18 tankers by 2017… but the first delivery didn’t happen until 2019.