Why China’s J-16 Hidden Dragon makes headlines despite rise of more advanced jets

South China Morning PostCenterEN 1 min read 100% complete by Amber WangOctober 27, 2025 at 12:00 PM

AI Summary

short article 1 min

A Chinese J-16 multirole fighter jet, known as the Hidden Dragon, recently intercepted two unidentified foreign warplanes near China’s east coast and performed a barrel roll over one of them at an extremely close distance. This incident, reported by state media in early March but occurring last year, highlights the continued prominence of the 4.5-generation J-16 despite advancements in stealth fighter technology. The jet has been operational for nearly a decade and is often involved in patrols along China’s east coast, including areas like the South China Sea and Taiwan Strait. Within China, it is recognized for its significant payload capacity, earning it the nickname "airborne missile truck."

Key Topics & Entities

Australia 30% US ×240% South China Sea 40% Taiwan Strait 40% J-20 ×250% China ×480% J-16 ×5100%

Keywords

j-16 90% hidden dragon 80% multirole fighter 70% stealth fighters 60% sixth-generation stealth fighters 60% payload capacity 50% intercepted foreign warplanes 50% taiwan strait 40% south china sea 40% dangerous manoeuvres 40%

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Neutral

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South China Morning Post

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Center (0.10)

Far LeftCenterFar Right

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90%

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China

This article was automatically classified using rule-based analysis. The political bias score ranges from -1 (far left) to +1 (far right).

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j-16 hidden dragon multirole fighter stealth fighters sixth-generation stealth fighters payload capacity intercepted foreign warplanes taiwan strait south china sea dangerous manoeuvres

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