The Chinese J-36 stealth fighter, a new blow to American air superiority

In what is seen as a surprise development, China has unveiled a new generation of manned stealth fighter jets that could redefine the dynamics of air combat and potentially challenge US air dominance in Asia.

The first new aircraft, designated but not officially confirmed as the J-36, lacks a traditional tailplane and features a modified delta wing design, The War Zone reported.

Although the aircraft's exact identity and specifications remain unclear, it was likely produced by Chengdu Aircraft Corporation (CAC), according to The War Zone's report. This appears to be the highest number confirmed so far in the Jianjiji series of fighter jets, the previous one being the J-35.

The aircraft design aligns with China's aspirations for advanced air power, with an emphasis on stealth and long-range capabilities. The tailless configuration is intended to reduce radar signature and improve aerodynamic efficiency, although it may impact maneuverability, The War Zone report states.

The aircraft's three engines suggest a focus on high-speed sustained flight and high-altitude operations. China's Defense Ministry has not yet commented on the new aircraft.

Just after unveiling its next-generation tactical aircraft, The War Zone reported that China had unveiled a second, smaller model attributed to the Shenyang Aircraft Corporation (SAC).

War Zone says the aircraft, designated J-50, features stealth technologies including tailless designs that improve low observability and reduce radar signatures. Unlike the three-engine J-36, the report notes that the J-50 has a twin-engine configuration.

While China's new planes have been touted as sixth-generation fighters, this loosely defined term could easily display a military capability for propaganda purposes.

In an October 2009 article in Air and Space Forces Magazine, John Tirpak states that a sixth-generation fighter is an advanced combat aircraft concept emphasizing extreme stealth, adaptability, and technological integration.

According to Tirpak, such an aircraft would incorporate features such as morphing airframes, directed energy weapons, and “smart skins” integrated with sensors for unprecedented situational awareness.

It says it would be designed for manned or unmanned operations, incorporating advanced networking capabilities and enabling seamless collaboration with other platforms.

Tirpak mentions that these aircraft would be built for high efficiency in all flight regimes, potentially featuring variable-cycle engines and directed energy defenses.

It says that with cyberwarfare capabilities and reduced life-cycle costs, sixth-generation fighters aim to maintain air dominance while meeting future operational challenges.

Although China's next-generation stealth fighter jets may exhibit some characteristics of sixth-generation fighters, not enough is known about their capabilities to warrant this designation.

Nonetheless, China's idea of ​​a sixth-generation fighter may differ significantly from Western and other definitions, reflecting its unique requirements.

As for the possible capabilities of these planes, Bill Sweetman mentions in an article published last month in The Strategist that the J-36 represents a significant leap in aviation technology. Sweetman says the J-36 is the largest fighter jet developed in China and the second largest in the world in 35 years.

Sweetman claims that the J-36's double delta wing design improves its supersonic performance and stealth capabilities in all aspects. In terms of dimensions, it states that the aircraft has a length of approximately 23 meters and a wingspan of 19 meters, with a significant wing area of ​​approximately 200 square meters.

He points out that the J-36's main weapons bay measures approximately 7.6 meters and is supplemented by side bays for smaller weapons, indicating considerable payload capacity.

He also mentions that the aircraft's three-engine configuration, with two engines fed by caret-shaped air inlets and a third by a supersonic inlet without a diverter, suggests a focus on achieving super -cruise without relying on afterburners.

Sweetman says the J-36 design emphasizes stealth, with no vertical tail surfaces and no flexible skins covering the hinge lines.

Defense Express mentioned last month that the J-50 twin-engine aircraft measures approximately 22 meters and has an estimated wing area of ​​145 square meters.

The report states that the J-50 could have a maximum takeoff 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 design includes multiple weapons compartments, the largest of which can hold four PL-17 air-to-air missiles, each with a range of up to 300 kilometers, and that it can carry a YJ-12 anti-air missile. ship missile, which can fly at three times the speed of sound with a range of 400 kilometers.

Unlike China's advances in next-generation air power, America's competing efforts appear to be in disarray.

In September 2024, Asia Times reported that the US Air Force was reconsidering its Next-Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) fighter program due to budgetary constraints, technological advancements and evolving threats posed by armed drones.

U.S. Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall announced a pause in the NGAD program in July 2024, with Chief of Acquisition Andrew Hunter and Vice Chief of Staff Gen. James Slife suggesting reassessing the requirements.

The review will examine whether air superiority can be achieved by integrating existing aircraft like the F-35, F-15EX and F-22 with new technologies such as Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA). Advances in autonomy and other technologies since the initial NGAD analysis have prompted this reexamination.

Important factors are the high costs associated with the NGAD program, estimated at nearly $250 million per aircraft, and the need for a more cost-effective approach.

The U.S. Air Force is also facing delays in the F-35 program and high costs for the B-21 Raider and Sentinel intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) programs.

The ongoing modernization of China's air force marks a crucial shift in its military strategy, with significant regional and global security implications.

The US Department of Defense's 2024 Chinese Military Power Report says the introduction of advanced fighter models, including stealth aircraft like the J-20, and the continued development of sixth-generation systems, underlines the ambition of the People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) to achieve parity or exceed U.S. 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 improved missile platforms.

It also states that by transferring naval aviation units and integrating air defense systems into the PLAAF, China aims to optimize command and control effectiveness, thereby strengthening its ability to project power within and beyond the first chain of islands.

According to the report, the PLAAF's focus on indigenization and cutting-edge technologies aligns with China's broader military goals of smart warfare, integrating AI and quantum computing. These advances challenge U.S. air superiority and pose a risk of escalation in the South China Sea and Taiwan Strait.

The report notes that as these systems come into service, they could change the strategic calculus of neighboring states and complicate defense planning for the United States and its allies, particularly in contested Indo-Pacific airspace. .

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