China has unveiled a new era of crewed cunning fight plane in what is being reported as a surprise development that could change the way we approach air combat and possibly problem America’s flying dominance in Asia.  ,
The first novel plane, designated but never officially confirmed as J-36, lacks standard tails and features a customized terminal aircraft design, The War Zone reported.
The Chengdu Aircraft Corporation ( CAC ) was likely the producer of the aircraft, according to a report from The War Zone, though the identity and specifications of the aircraft are still unknown. The J-35 and J-35 have both been confirmed as the highest quantity so far in the Jianjiji fighter jet line, which is noteworthy.
The plane’s style coincides with China’s aspirations for superior airpower, emphasizing secrecy and long-range capabilities. The bipedal design is intended to reduce sensor name and increase aerodynamic effectiveness, although it may affect maneuverability, The War Zone report says.
The plane’s three motors suggest a focus on suffered high-speed journey and operations at higher altitudes. The Chinese Ministry of Defense has not yet made any comments regarding the new plane.
The Shenyang Aircraft Corporation ( SAC ) was the country that first revealed its next-generation tactical jet, according to The War Zone’s report.
The War Zone says the plane, designated the J-50, features secrecy technologies, including mammal designs that boost small observability and minimize radar signatures. Unlike the three-engine J-36, the report notes that the J-50 has a twin-engine configuration.
While China’s new jets have been touted as” sixth-generation fighters”, this loosely defined term could easily flaunt military capability for propaganda purposes.
A sixth-generation fighter is described by John Tirpak as an advanced combat aircraft concept that emphasizes extreme stealth, adaptability, and technological integration in an October 2009 article for Air and Space Forces Magazine.
According to Tirpak, such a plane would have features like morphing aircraft, directed energy weapons, and” smart skins” embedded with sensors for unmatched situational awareness.
He claims that it would be developed for both manned and unmanned operations, with advanced networking capabilities and facilitating seamless collaboration with other platforms.
Tirpak mentions that these aircraft would be constructed to be efficient across all flight modes and might have variable-cycle engines and directed energy defenses.
Sixth-generation fighters aim to maintain air dominance while addressing upcoming operational challenges, he claims, with the aid of cyberwar capabilities and lower lifecycle costs.
While China’s new-generation stealth combat aircraft may have some characteristics of sixth-generation fighters, not enough is known about their capabilities to warrant that designation.
Nevertheless, China’s idea of a sixth-generation fighter may differ vastly from Western and other definitions, reflecting its unique requirements.
As to these aircraft’s possible capabilities, Bill Sweetman mentions in an article for The Strategist last month that the J-36 represents a significant leap in aviation technology. According to Sweetman, the J-36 is the second-largest combat aircraft developed in China in 35 years.
Sweetman says the J-36’s double-delta wing design enhances its supersonic performance and all-aspect stealth capabilities. In terms of dimensions, he says the aircraft has a length of approximately 23 meters and a wingspan of 19 meters, with a substantial wing area of around 200 square meters.
He points out that the main weapon bay on the J-36 is approximately 7.6 meters long and has side bays for smaller weapons, which indicates a significant payload capacity.
He also mentions that the aircraft’s three-engine configuration, with two engines fed by caret-shaped inlets and a third by a diverterless supersonic inlet, suggests a focus on achieving supercruise capabilities without relying on afterburners.
Sweetman claims that the J-36’s design places emphasis on stealth because it has no vertical tail surfaces and flexible skins that line the hinges.
Defense Express reported last month that the J-50 twin-engine aircraft has wings that are estimated to be 145 square meters and spans an area of roughly 22 meters.
The report says that the J-50 may have a maximum take-off weight of 40 tons, a top speed of Mach 2 and a combat radius of 2, 200 kilometers.
The report notes that the J-50’s design includes several weapon compartments, the largest capable of housing four PL-17 air-to-air missiles, each with a range of up to 300 kilometers and that it can carry one YJ-12 anti-ship missile, which can fly at three times the speed of sound with a range of 400 kilometers.
In contrast to China’s next-generation airpower advancements, competing US efforts seem to be in disarray.
Due to budget constraints, technological advancements, and evolving threats from armed drones, the US Air Force is considering changing its Next-Generation Air Dominance ( NGAD ) fighter program, according to Asia Times in September 2024.
Acquisition chief Andrew Hunter and Vice Chief of Staff James Slife suggested reevaluating requirements when US Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall made the announcement to pause the NGAD program in July 2024.
The review will examine whether the integration of new technologies like Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA ) and existing aircraft like the F-35, F-15EX, and F-22 will lead to improved air superiority. Advancements in autonomy and other technologies since the initial NGAD analysis have prompted this revision.
Significant factors are the high costs associated with the NGAD program, estimated at nearly US$ 250 million per aircraft, and the need for a more cost-effective approach.
The US Air Force also faces expensive costs associated with the B-21 Raider and Sentinel intercontinental ballistic missile ( ICBM ) programs, as well as delays with the F-35 program.
China’s ongoing air force modernization has significant regional and global security implications, and it signals a crucial shift in its military strategy.
The US Department of Defense’s 2024 China Military Power Report says that the introduction of advanced fighter designs, including stealth-capable aircraft like the J-20 and ongoing development of sixth-generation systems, underscores the People’s Liberation Army Air Force’s ( PLAAF ) ambition to achieve parity with or surpass US and allied air capabilities.
The report notes that these developments reflect an integrated approach to air dominance, focusing on network-centric operations, electronic warfare capabilities and enhanced missile platforms.
China aims to increase its ability to project power both within and outside the First Island Chain by transferring naval aviation units and integrating air defense systems into the PLAAF, according to the report.
According to the report, the PLAAF’s emphasis on indigenization and cutting-edge technologies aligns with China’s broader military goals of “intelligentized” warfare, incorporating AI and quantum computing. These advancements challenge US air force superiority and present a risk of an escalation in the Taiwan Strait and the South China Sea.
The report notes that as these systems become operational, they may alter the strategic framework of neighboring states and make defense planning for the US and its allies more difficult, particularly in tense Indo-Pacific airspaces.