China is testing a new series of indigenous military aircraft, including a stealth fighter hailed as the country's most advanced jet to date.

According to the South China Morning Post (SCMP), photos of China's fourth-gen stealth jet J20, military transporter Y-20 and Airborne Early Warning and Control System (AEW&CS) plane KJ-500 were uploaded at the popular military online forum www.cjdby.net on Saturday.

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The photo uploader had identified the aircraft models and tagged the images as having been recently taken at the Yanliang Flight Center located at the Xian airport in Shaanxi district. The airfield is a known flight testing facility used by the People's Liberation Army (PLA) air force.

While images of these aircraft have already surfaced in the past, this is the first time the three fighters were seen together.

The stealth fighter J20 is the country's first of its kind and is believed to be the most advanced among the PLA air force's fleet. The fighter is touted to have a combat range capability that can span the South China Sea.

The Y-20, Beijing's largest indigenous military carrier, will serve the air force's military transport needs while the AEW&CS KJ-500 will augment military preparedness by providing wider radar coverage to warn troops of potential threats in future combat.

It must be noted however, that neither the PLA nor the airbase could be immediately reached for comment.

Various reports have speculated that the new generation aircraft are still in the testing stages and could take years before these could be approved for deployment. Many believe that the indigenous fighters could become the PLA Air Force's backbone.

The popularity of online military forums has been on the rise. Websites such as cjdby.net have already become unofficial sources for the PLA's latest artillery which are usually classified top secret by military authorities.

TagsMilitary Technology, South China Morning Post, PLA weapons, Yanliang Flight Center