Chinese J-20 Stealth fighter jet, which is yet to be commissioned into air force service, is set to feature in a commercial movie, "Sky Hunter" scheduled for released during September this year.

The Chinese Air Force has reportedly agreed to feature its J-20 stealth twin jet fifth-generation fighter; the Y-20, large military transport aircraft; the J-10C lightweight multi-role fighter; and the J-11B single-seat twin-engine jet fighter. Previously such aircraft were only displayed at military parades and domestic air shows.

"Sky Hunter," directed by actor Li Chen has a cast including himself, Fan Bingbing, Wang Qianyuan and Li Jiahang, held its first press conference at the China Aviation Museum in the Beijing suburbs last Wednesday, with guests and collaborators from Chinese air force attending.

The 200 million-Yuan (US$29.9 billion) budget film got full support from the Chinese air force, including sending dozens of its own experts, equipment and trainers to assist the film crew, China Mil reported today.

To help the film obtain firsthand and real images and pictures of what the Chinese air force is like today, the military authorities opened several of its bases to the film crew to shoot various scenes.

To fully hold down the cost, Li Chen and his girlfriend, China's A-list actress Fan Bingbing, were even willing to accept no remuneration for the film, said producer Lyu Jianmin, chairman of Chunqiu Time Culture Co. Ltd.

"I didn't have money to hire any other actress," Li Chen told the press conference, "so I asked Bingbing to help for free, because most of the film's budget should be spent on production and special effects."

Fan Bingbing, playing a military helicopter pilot, said she agreed to help her boyfriend to fulfill his military dream; however, later she found she had been "cheated" a little.

She explained: "I thought my role might only involve two scenes and I was just making a cameo appearance; actually I was recruited as the leading role."

The "Sky Hunter" screen writer and military film producer, air force Lieutenant Colonel Zhang Li, said the film grew out of the air force's front line combat readiness training and showed the recent years of developing new weapons, as well as the achievements of the 400,000 air force soldiers and officers. “This film certainly represents a milestone," he said.

The film tells the story of how the elite Chinese air force destroys a terrorist plot and resolves a hostage crisis. Shooting took more than a year in dozens of places in China and Kazakhstan and will "present the visual images of Chinese modern air force that people have never seen before," according to its press release.