AVIC (Aviation Industry Corporation of China) J-20 vs Sukhoi Su-57
AVIC (Aviation Industry Corporation of China) J-20 and Sukhoi Su-57 are both fighter aircraft, compared here on public specifications. The Sukhoi Su-57 leads on max speed (2,440 vs 2,100 km/h). Several China and Russia-origin figures here are manufacturer or state claims with limited independent verification, so treat this comparison as directional.
Verdict
Both are non-Western fifth-generation fighters whose stealth and performance claims are harder to independently verify than their American or European counterparts, and both carry this site's state-claim caveat on Chinese- and Russian-origin figures respectively. On production scale, the J-20 has a real edge: roughly 250 built and in growing service with the PLAAF, against the Su-57's likely low-tens delivered. The J-20's long fuselage and canard-delta layout are optimized for range and persistence (2,000km combat radius) over the Western Pacific, while the Su-57 emphasizes supermaneuverability via thrust vectoring and the long-ranged R-37M missile. Neither jet has faced a documented engagement against a Western fifth-generation type, so claims about how either would perform against an F-22 or F-35, let alone against each other, remain analytical rather than demonstrated.
Analysis by Cole Merrick, Defense-systems data columnist, WeaponSpecs · Last updated 2026-08-06
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Full data
Full spec sheet
 AVIC (Aviation Industry Corporation of China) J-20
Wins 3/8 |  Sukhoi Su-57
Wins 5/8 | |
|---|---|---|
| Performance | ||
| Max speed (km/h) | 2,100 km/h | 2,440 km/h ✓ |
| Max speed (Mach) (Mach) | 2 Mach | 2 Mach |
| Range (km) | 3,400 km | 3,500 km ✓ |
| Combat radius (km) | 2,000 km ✓ | 1,500 km |
| Service ceiling (m) | 20,000 m | 20,000 m |
| Thrust-to-weight | 1 | 1.08 ✓ |
| Firepower | ||
| Hardpoints | 6 | 10 ✓ |
| Weapons payload (kg) | 11,000 kg ✓ | 10,000 kg |
| Physical | ||
| Length (m) | 20.4 m | 20.1 m |
| Empty weight (kg) | 19,391 kg | 18,500 kg |
| Combat weight (kg) | 32,092 kg | 35,000 kg |
| Crew | 1 | 1 |
| Propulsion | ||
| Thrust (kN) | 142 kN | 147 kN ✓ |
| Program | ||
| Unit cost (USD) | N/A | $50,000,000 |
| Units built | 250 ✓ | 30 |
| Operator countries | 1 | 1 |
Analysis
AVIC (Aviation Industry Corporation of China) J-20 vs Sukhoi Su-57: how they match up
Design philosophy: range and persistence vs agility
The J-20's long, narrow fuselage and canard-delta layout, plus a 2,000km combat radius, point toward a mission of holding high-value support aircraft (tankers, AWACS) at risk over the vast distances of the Western Pacific theater. The Su-57's AL-41F1 thrust-vectoring engines and Su-27 heritage instead emphasize close-in agility and supermaneuverability, a different bet on how a fifth-generation fighter should win an engagement.
Sensors and stealth claims
The J-20 fields the Type 1475 (KLJ-5) AESA radar with EOTS-89 electro-optical/IRST and a distributed aperture system, while the Su-57 uses the N036 Byelka AESA and 101KS Atoll suite. Neither China nor Russia has published independently verifiable radar-cross-section data for its jet, and both airframes show design features, exposed engine treatments and construction details, that Western analysts frequently cite as compromises relative to U.S. very-low-observable standards.
Weapons
The J-20 carries the PL-15 (a long-range active-radar-homing missile broadly comparable in reach to the AIM-120D) alongside the shorter-range PL-10 and the longer-ranged PL-21. The Su-57's compatible weapons include the R-77M, R-74M2, and the very-long-range R-37M, giving it a plausible edge in maximum engagement distance on paper, though, as with the airframes themselves, neither missile's real-world performance has been independently demonstrated.
Production and fielding
China has built roughly 250 J-20s and continues expanding PLAAF squadrons equipped with the type, a meaningfully faster fielding pace than Russia has managed with the Su-57, which remains in the low tens against original plans for hundreds. Both programs' true costs are undisclosed or disputed; unlike the Su-57, China has not pursued Su-57-style export marketing for the J-20, keeping it exclusive to the PLAAF so far.
Frequently asked questions
Is the J-20 or Su-57 more advanced? +
Both make fifth-generation claims that are difficult to verify independently. The J-20 has a clearer edge in production scale and fielding pace; the Su-57 claims an edge in close-in agility via thrust vectoring.
Has the J-20 been exported? +
No. Unlike the Su-57, which Russia has marketed for export without a confirmed sale to date, the J-20 remains exclusive to China's People's Liberation Army Air Force as of this writing.
Are J-20 and Su-57 stealth claims verified? +
No independently verified radar-cross-section data exists for either aircraft; both carry this site's state-claim caveat, and Western analysts have questioned design features on both airframes.
How many J-20s and Su-57s have been built? +
Roughly 250 J-20s versus a Su-57 fleet likely in the low tens, per public figures, a substantial scale gap despite the two programs launching in a broadly similar timeframe.
Which is faster, AVIC (Aviation Industry Corporation of China) J-20 and Sukhoi Su-57? +
The Sukhoi Su-57 is the fastest of the 2 compared here, at 2,440 km/h.
Which has the longer range? +
The Sukhoi Su-57 has the longest range at 3,500 km.
Which carries the larger weapons payload? +
The AVIC (Aviation Industry Corporation of China) J-20 carries the largest weapons payload at 11,000 kg.
Which is cheaper? +
The Sukhoi Su-57 has the lower public unit-cost figure at 50,000,000 USD. Treat this as directional, defense pricing varies by contract and configuration.
Which has the higher max speed (mach)? +
The AVIC (Aviation Industry Corporation of China) J-20 has the higher max speed (mach) at 2 Mach.
Which has the higher combat radius? +
The AVIC (Aviation Industry Corporation of China) J-20 has the higher combat radius at 2,000 km.
Is the AVIC (Aviation Industry Corporation of China) J-20 better than the Sukhoi Su-57? +
On the public specs we track, the Sukhoi Su-57 leads on 3 of 6 headline metrics, see the full spec sheet for the metric-by-metric breakdown.
Where does this comparison data come from? +
Every figure in the table is sourced from public manufacturer pages, defense-ministry releases and reference publications, and is verifiable on each system's spec page. WeaponSpecs does not accept vendor placement.
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