China’s Next-Gen Fighters: Drone Control & Range Revealed
- Fresh images of China's Chengdu J-36 and shenyang J-50, two sixth-generation fighter jets, have surfaced, offering defense experts new insights into their capabilities.
- The most recent photo, shared on social media, provides the clearest view yet of the J-36.It shows the aircraft parked at what appears to be Chengdu Aircraft Corporation’s...
- Prior to this, a high-definition image of the J-36 in flight emerged online, offering the clearest airborne view of the sixth-generation fighter to date.
China Reveals New Sixth-Generation Fighter Jets
Fresh images of China’s Chengdu J-36 and shenyang J-50, two sixth-generation fighter jets, have surfaced, offering defense experts new insights into their capabilities. These include potential supersonic cruising speeds and the ability too coordinate with combat drones. The J-36 fighter, in particular, has been closely examined.
The most recent photo, shared on social media, provides the clearest view yet of the J-36.It shows the aircraft parked at what appears to be Chengdu Aircraft Corporation’s main plant in Sichuan province, matching the location from which the J-36 has been seen taking off over the last six months.
Prior to this, a high-definition image of the J-36 in flight emerged online, offering the clearest airborne view of the sixth-generation fighter to date.
Peter Layton, a retired Australian air force officer and visiting fellow at Brisbane’s Griffith Asia Institute, analyzed the images. He confirmed the J-36’s three weapons bays—one large and two smaller—and the dorsal intake for its third engine.
Layton believes the third engine is likely similar to the other two,rather than a more exotic type like a ramjet. He suggests its purpose is to provide the additional thrust required for sustained supersonic flight, a feat that two engines alone might not achieve.
What’s next
Further analysis of these images and future sightings will likely reveal more about China’s advancements in sixth-generation fighter technology and its implications for regional air power.