As of mid-2025, China's People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) is estimated to have more than 300 Chengdu J-20 "Mighty Dragon" stealth fighters in active service, with some reports specifically placing the fleet size between 320 and 350 units. This rapid expansion is driven by a significant surge in manufacturing capacity at the Chengdu Aircraft Corporation, which has reportedly doubled its production efficiency through the use of AI-driven "dark factories" and autonomous vehicles. Current production rates are estimated at approximately 100 to 120 airframes annually, and experts project that if this pace continues, China could field over 1,000 of these fifth-generation air superiority fighters by 2030. This growth has established China as the second country in the world, after the United States, to operate a large-scale fleet of stealth aircraft.