Aerodynamics expert Gu Songfen has died at 96. He was the chief designer of China’s J-8 fighter jet family – the first home-grown supersonic fighter jet to counter US high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft.

Gu was an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Chinese Academy of Engineering as well as a researcher at the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC). He died in Beijing on Sunday night, according to a statement from AVIC. A farewell ceremony is scheduled for Saturday in Beijing.

Gu dedicated himself to advancing China’s aviation industry. The statement noted that he had pioneered aerodynamic designs for multiple types of aircraft and established an aerodynamic design system for Chinese aircraft.

“He led the development of supersonic fighter jets J-8 and J-8II, which marked the beginning of China’s independent fighter aircraft research and development,” the statement said.

“He established China’s fighter development system and made monumental contributions to the generational upgrading of aviation weaponry.”

Gu won many awards, including the 2020 State Pre-eminent Science and Technology Award – China’s most prestigious science award with a cash prize comparable to the Nobel Prize. He was also named a National Outstanding Science and Technology Research Worker and received a Lifetime Achievement Award from AVIC, according to the statement.