On 26 December 2024, an aircraft believed to be a J-36 was spotted allegedly conducting test flights in Chengdu, Sichuan, China. Since the aircraft's serial number (36011) begins with '36,' following the People's Liberation Army Air Force convention, this model was presumably designated as J-36, but further information is limited.[1]
Development and history
In January 2019, Dr. Wang Haifeng, chief designer of the Chengdu Aircraft Corporation (CAC) announced that China had begun pre-research on a sixth-generation aircraft, predicting that the program would come to fruition by 2035.[2] The plan was reiterated by Chinese state media in 2021.[3]
In 2018, Chengdu Aircraft Corporation reportedly submitted eight proposals for the sixth-generation fighter design, and four designs were tested in low-altitude wind tunnels.[4]
In October 2021, a fighter aircraft with a tailless design was spotted in Chengdu Aircraft Corporation facilities.[5] Intelligence and rumors indicated the Chinese designs would use tailless flying wing or flying arrowhead configuration that can provide greater broadband stealth characteristics compared to the previous generation of fighters, new propulsion technologies, improved sensors allowing the aircraft to operate alongside unmanned teaming aircraft or unmanned combat aerial vehicles (UCAVs), etc.[6]
In September 2022, United States Air Force (USAF) General Mark D. Kelly, head of the Air Combat Command (ACC) suggested China was on track with the aforementioned characteristics for its six-generation fighter program, and he believed the Chinese design uses a 'system of systems' approach like the United States, which allows for "exponential" reductions in stealth signature and improvements in processing power and sensing.[7][8]
In February 2023, Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC) shared its six-generation fighter aircraft concept on social media. The featured concept included diamond-shaped wings and tailless design,[9] which correlated with earlier images released in various AVIC presentations.[4]
Apparent public appearance
On 26 December 2024, online photos and videos showed that Chengdu Aircraft Corporation (CAC) has publicly flown a prototype aircraft in Chengdu, Sichuan.[10][11] The aircraft was spotted flying around an airport owned by CAC and features a trijet tailless flying wing design. It was followed by a Chengdu J-20S twin-seater stealth fighter as the chase plane. Some photos showed the aircraft painted with code number '36' on the forward fuselage, thus the aircraft was tentatively named J-36 by military analysts.[12] Analysts speculated the aircraft may be either a sixth-generation fighter prototype or a regional bomber prototype design previously known as the JH-XX.[12][13][14][15] Observers believe that CAC chose to carry out the flight on 26 December in commemoration of Mao Zedong's birthday.[16][17][18] Evidence also suggested multiple demonstrations have occurred before the 26th of December flight.[19]
The Chinese Ministry of Defense, People's Liberation Army, Chinese aviation industry, and Chinese state media did not confirm or report on the testing or aircraft.[12][13] Still, analysts believed the lack of control on video footage spread was intentional to incite discussion and debates on the projects.[20][21][22]
Design
The prototype is a trijettaillessflying wing aircraft with a voluminous, blended, diamond-like double delta wing configuration. The fighter is large in size, with a thin and wide nose area and leading-edge extension (LRX) chine lines extending to the wing section.[23] Behind the nose radome are the canopy, electro-optical windows, possible side-looking airborne radar (SLAR) arrays, dual-wheel nose landing gear, two under-wing caret inlets, one dorsal intake with diverterless supersonic inlet, double delta wings with five trailing edge control surfaces on each wing (including two split flap rudders at outboard wing edges), multiple ventral weapons bays, two sets of tandem-wheel aft landing gear, no vertical stabilizer, and trijet engine bays with segmented exhaust articulation surfaces. The aircraft control surfaces appeared to be covered in flexible skins.[12][13][19][23][24][25]
The prototype has an estimated length of 20–26 m (66–85 ft), a wingspan of approximately 20 m (66 ft), a wing area of more than 190 m2 (2,000 sq ft), and a maximum take-off weight of 100,000–120,000 lb (45,000–54,000 kg; 45–54 t). The aircraft's powerplants were unknown, including the identities, arrangement, and possible differences of the three engines mounted. It was estimated three modified WS-10 or WS-15 variants were mounted, while the possible installation of propulsion systems with other working regimes, such as ramjet and variable cycle engine, remain speculative.[19][24][25] The wing sweep angles indicate aerodynamic optimization toward supercruise.[12][13][19][24][25] The primary weapons bay has an approximate length of 7.6 m (25 ft), apparently capable of housing PL-17 beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile or large air-to-surface munitions, flanked by two smaller bays.[12][19][25]
The overall aircraft design is speculated to emphasize all-aspect stealth, high speed, long endurance, high payload capacity, and multispectral situational awareness.[12][13][19][24][25] It is unclear what jet fighter generation, precise role, and tactical usage the aircraft would be classified under, as the detailed capabilities of the aircraft are not publicly known.[19][26][27]
