The battle for weather supremacy in the sixth generation is in full swing. However, China’s J-36 may have already left it in the contrail as the US unveils its F-47.
Boeing received a contract last week from the US Department of the Air Force for the Engineering and Manufacturing Development ( EMD) phase of the Next Generation Air Dominance ( NGAD ) platform.
The F-47, the second fighter jet of its kind to become the first in a tense world of threats, was unveiled with this system.
The F-47 is a core of the NGAD Family of Systems, and it was launched in May 2024 after a corporate pause to assess its alignment with protection needs. It combines advanced secrecy, sensor fusion, and long-range strike capabilities. The F-47 adapts to new technologies by leveraging digital executive and compact design.
Its unsurpassed speed, agility, and payload are highlighted by authorities. Pete Hegseth, secretary of defense, emphasized the importance of bolstering US military might and determination to supporters. The F-47 was declared essential for the US Air Force’s Chief of Staff, General David Allvin, to maintain dominance in aerial battle for years.
The plan builds on the advancements made during the five years of DARPA’s X-planes study. The agreement provides for the development of test aircraft and gears up for low-rate original production as the EMD phase begins, demonstrating a long history of investment in defense and innovation. Details regarding operating implementation are still being provided.
The US NGAD statement may have sparked a lot of cheer in security circles, but it may already be a belated sign.
China unveiled its J-36, which Chengdu Aircraft Corporation developed in December 2024. The J-36 represents a major advancement in aircraft technology with its mammal, trijet construction, and double-delta aircraft design. It has a large flap neighborhood of 200 square feet and is roughly 23 meters in length and 19 feet in wings.
The plane emphasizes cunning by using versatile skin, flexible skin, and no vertical tail surfaces, which lessens radar name. Its three vehicles, including a diverterless sonic lagoon, make supercruise possible without afterburners, enhancing speed and efficiency.
A powerful addition to China’s airpower arsenal is the J-36, which has a 7.6-meter main tool bay and part bays supporting a sizable cargo capacity.
The South China Morning Post (SCMP ) reported this month that China unveiled what experts believe to be its sixth-generation fighter program, which is represented by a tailless aircraft resembling the J-36, which was developed by Chengdu Aircraft Industry Group.
An official pronouncement of the agency’s progress is suggested by this picture, which is featured in a CCTV video to mark the 27th anniversary of the J-10 jet. The launch coincides in a strategic way with the US’s announcement that Boeing has won a contract to make the F-47, the core of the US NGAD program.
Just to emphasize this place, SCMP claims that a J-36 from China was reportedly seen on a check trip close to Chengdu a few days before the US NGAD news. The J-36 has a flight information spacecraft on its head, which indicates that the form is still in early development and is still far from serial generation, in contrast to the US NGAD, which hasn’t actually begun the design phase.
Eric Liu and Brandon Tran discuss the stress this kind of test flights have on the US and its allies in an essay for the Indo-Pacific Studies Center. They also point out that such advancement leaves it to be seen whether the latter is also a “pacing risk” or has already become more potent as a result.
In a January 2025 content for the Aviation Geek Club, Abraham Abrams points out that China’s rapid growth and decision-making, as demonstrated by the J-20’s quick transition from demonstration flight to support, contrasts with the continuous growth of US fighters like the F-35.
Abrams points out that the US NGAD program has difficulties due to delays, higher costs, and unsatisfactory online assembly processes. He claims that in contrast, China unveiled two prototypes of the sixth generation in 2024, highlighting its technical and industrial advancements and demonstrating its ability to surpass the US in this crucial field.
In the eyes of many in the field of air strength, the sixth-generation plane have long been hailed as revolutionary. Raffaele Rossi mentions that the type is designed to surpass fifth-generation capabilities in an August 2021 article for the Joint Air Power Competence Center ( JAPCC), which combines advanced stealth, hypersonic speeds, and AI for enhanced situational awareness and decision-making.
According to Rossi, sixth-generation plane may have pilot-, remote-controlled, or automatic missions. He mentions that they incorporate advanced modern engineering, high-capacity network, and data integration for real-time battle command and control. He claims that enhanced human-system connectivity includes online cockpits with increased AI awareness.
Additionally, Rossi claims that advanced stealth reduces radar and infrared signatures while variable-cycle engines offer great thrust and effective cruising. He mentions potential features like suborbital aircraft and directed-energy weapons, putting emphasis on adaptability to threats in the future and ensuring supremacy in the air, space, and cyberspace.
Despite rising costs, the decision to continue with NGAD growth reflects the program’s intensity. Major General Joseph Kunkel stated in a Defense One content this month that there is no other way to achieve air superiority in tomorrow’s contentious environment. General Kenneth Wilsbach stated in the same content that the US may sit idly by while China develops its sixth-generation fighter system.
Unlike the F-35, which was not spared, Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency ( DOGE ) scrutiny may have been avoided by that assessment. Mussk criticized the F-35 warrior program for its delays, overbudgets, and professional flaws, calling it a “flop,” while citing unsettled program problems, security flaws, and servicing inefficiencies.
In contrast to the potential of drones to replace manned fighters in contemporary warfare, Musk’s criticism also highlighted the F-35’s inability to adapt to changing threats.
The NGAD’s unrefueled combat radius exceeding 1,800 kilometers is crucial, according to Justin Bronk in an article for the Royal United Service Institute ( RUSI) this month. China’s unveiling of its J-36 demonstrated superior stealth and long-range capabilities alongside its extensive missile arsenals threatening forward bases and refueling tankers near its coastline.
Bronk claims that having this capability reduces reliance on vulnerable tankers while enabling operations from safer, defensible bases. Additionally, he claims that the NGAD’s stealth and weapon-carrying capabilities address issues caused by Chinese long-range kill chains and electronic warfare, ensuring US air superiority in contested environments.
China’s J-36 may already be streaking through the sky as the F-47 prepares to take off on the drawing board, indicating that the US is no longer setting the pace but having a difficult time catching up with the F-47 in the race for sixth-generation dominance.