The first flight of the new improved prototype of the FC-31   mid-size fifth-generation jet fighter, development by Shenyang Aircraft Corporation, took place today in Chengdu, Sichuan province.

The fighter has also been referred to as the “F-60” or “J-21 Snowy Owl” ( in some media reports. Specific details of the aircraft, such as its turbofan engines and onboard systems, are not yet known.

The production-ready FC-31 will also utilize an active electronically-scanned array (AESA) radar, helmet-mounted display and sight (HMD/S) system, infrared search and track (IRST), integrated electro-optical targeting system (EOTS), and single display-panel cockpit (with a side-mounted flight-control stick).