For China, Chengdu J-20 fighter became the first fifth-generation representative into whose development and serial production significant resources were invested. It was created from late 1990s until 2015 when low-rate production began, with over 300 units produced over 10+ years.
However, the name of this fighter's chief designer, Yang Wei, has disappeared from official sources. A year ago he was removed from Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC) leadership list, and now he has disappeared from Chinese Academy of Sciences academician list as well, which South China Morning Post noted and described possible explanations.
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Yang Wei is a notable figure in Chinese aviation history. He built a very rapid career, starting work at Chengdu Aircraft Industry Group (CAIG) in mid-1980s. By 2001 he already headed this corporation at age 38. Before J-20, he managed creation of FC-1 Xiaolong, which later became Chinese-Pakistani JF-17, and also participated in Chengdu J-10 development.
Ultimately specifically Yang Wei, as lead designer and organizer, was entrusted with developing China's first fifth-generation J-20 fighter, which first flew in 2011 after approximately ten years of work. Given the information purge start, Yang Wei disappeared somewhere winter 2024-2025. The first reason for this could quite possibly be J-20's own design deficiencies, which they failed not only to hide from top leadership but also to fix. One quite popular theory is that J-20's low observability is far from real fifth-generation representative requirements.
Ultimately, from Defense Express side, we note this J-20 parameter became topic of numerous discussions. Indeed J-20 is currently the only fifth-generation fighter having forward horizontal tail surfaces while having absolutely all solutions used in stealth aircraft. At the same time, active J-20 quantity increase in Chinese air forces was argument for activating rearmament program to new E-7 Wedgetail AWACS aircraft, which ultimately gave nothing.
Also, Yang Wei's disgrace beginning does not coincide with operations where Chinese specialists could evaluate American F-22 and F-35 observability used in operations against iran in 2025. Although it should be added that J-20 itself since even serial production start was actively refined. In 2022, J-20A prototype with new WS-15 engines with refined airframe design, enlarged fuselage, modified nose cone and air intakes was first spotted. By September 2025 it already entered service.
Therefore, as the publication writes, another and very likely reason for Yang Wei's disappearance is not fighter design deficiencies but corruption. Which Beijing is trying to combat, and may quite possibly use as pretext for settling scores in internal party struggle.
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