Chinese 6th Generation Aircraft News & Discussions

[Oscar]

The USAF may want to go with whatever iterations they've looked at for high end NGAD ie something that looks like J-36 prototype.

Previously they thought it was far too expensive to complete development for and to buy in significant numbers.

As they see China's development speed and capability, they may now reassess and demand high end NGAD. Indeed NGAD developers best dream is CAC and SAC 6th gen prototypes publicly flying ahead of high tier NGAD version development cycle. Almost guaranteeing the funding they want.

NGAD is NOT one system.
B-21 is technically part of NGAD and the first 6th gen to fly - what it inside is a decade ahead of F-35.

The issue isn’t the tech demonstrators that were flown within a year for NGAD but actually selecting a path to go on. The last 3 years have been massively disruptive for both warfare and technology leading to guesswork on what will be most effective in all spheres. China’s rapid increase in pace means what was aimed for to be NGAD’s fighter component is no longer enough so the industry will iterate to find a superior solution. At the end a superior solution is what the USAF will get.

 

[UKBengali]

NGAD is NOT one system.
B-21 is technically part of NGAD and the first 6th gen to fly - what it inside is a decade ahead of F-35.

The issue isn’t the tech demonstrators that were flown within a year for NGAD but actually selecting a path to go on. The last 3 years have been massively disruptive for both warfare and technology leading to guesswork on what will be most effective in all spheres. China’s rapid increase in pace means what was aimed for to be NGAD’s fighter component is no longer enough so the industry will iterate to find a superior solution. At the end a superior solution is what the USAF will get.

Another way of saying that China has at least caught up with USA in military aerospace technology.

 

[Oscar]

Another way of saying that China has at least caught up with USA in military aerospace technology.

Not caught up - but bridging a gap which used to be 20 years easily historically even against Europe to now 5-10 years.

This is a result of rapid advancement in ML and also China completely adapting(not adopting) the processes of the US industry. CAC was heavily inspired by digital design ecosystem and digital twin simultaneous simulation which was implemented at Lockheed Martin some 15 years ago.

That pace will get better but with the current advances in AI that pace for US will also leapfrog. What is happening with Anduril and other non-incumbent manufacturers spurred on by the right wing tech bro culture is something that China should not discount.

Lastly, the massive scrutiny on Boeing is actually a blessing in disguise because it is inviting a culture war of the mil industrial complex with MAGA -

 

[lightning f57]

I think everyone is in for a suprise with what 6th generation will become. Gone are the days of 1v1 comparison.

 

[FHN]

The Air Force [originally] wrote requirements for an aircraft that is essentially an F-22 replacement. And for the last few years, that's what we've been working on,” Kendall said. “We're now at the point where we commit to going forward, to finish design, and go into production of that, or not.

$20 Billion Price Tag To Complete Development Of USAF's Next Generation Fighter (Updated)

Investing more in long-range strike, procuring a cheaper 'drone controller' aircraft, or a mix of F-35s and drones are alternatives.

www.twz.com

The alternatives to the F-22 replacement concept include something that looks more like an F-35 follow-on,” which would be “something that’s much less expensive, something that’s a multi-role aircraft that is designed to be a manager of CCAs and designed more for that role,” the Air Force’s top civilian added. “And then there was another option we thought about, which is reliance more on long-range strike.”
People have talked about not doing another crew and aircraft. I don’t think we’re quite there yet. I think that could be considered,” Kendall continued. “We could [also] just continue to rely on F-35 and keep it going for [the] foreseeable future and focus on CCAs. I’m not quite ready to do that personally.”

Air Force officials, and Kendall in particular, have repeatedly highlighted the potential of supplanting the current NGAD combat jet plan with a lower-cost design centered more specifically on managing CCAs.

So basically the next ngad program will be something like upgraded f-22 or f-35. @ChineseTiger1986

 

[FHN]

Then please show us a video of NGAD flying on the sky.

Otherwise, this is going to be really bad looking for the US.

To reinstate the production line for the upgrade F-22 raptor will not be enough to comfort their unsettling supporters.

They haven't said a word about NGAD since the reveal of J-36 & J-50.

So the upgrade raptor is their only response.

Maybe they do believe that the upgrade F-22 integrated with advanced AI & loyal wingmen could put up a good fight against the J-36 & J-50.

 

[FHN]

Their current NGAD design is pretty much lightweight compared to CAC's 6th gen, only comparable to SAC's 6th gen.

They need to redesign everything in order to make the new NGAD being comparable to the mighty J-36.

Maybe they have realized that to redesign the NGAD will be much more time consuming and costly compared to the upgrade F-22 raptor.

Also, the F-35 program is their golden goose, and a lot of their allies have already placed order for the new batches of F-35. So you cannot simply cancel it without any substitution plan.

The US and China are locked in a “race” to field the next generation of airpower — and there’s no guarantee America will cross the finish line first, according to the Air Force’s outgoing acquisition executive. “They could beat us to the punch,” Andrew Hunter told Breaking Defense in an interview at the Pentagon. “It’s fair to say we pay a lot of attention to what the Chinese are doing. And so, not everything that becomes public is a shock,” Hunter said. “But having said that, their pace is incredibly fast.”

 

[That_Guy]

I've read all lot of rhetoric about how the J-36 is so big.

Keep in mind, the amount of tech expected to be shoved inside it, along with China's efforts to miniaturize said tech will determine its final design.

In other words, the fighter could either shrink, or grow bigger. Either way, this is nowhere near the final design, and WILL change.

@Deino @Oscar

 

[Hendarto]

I see a lot of comments still extolling the superiority of US technology. I guess it is hard to wake up from a dream. Let's face it: China has surpassed the US in selected technology. We see it in renewable, solar, car, infrastructure, Heavy industry, robotics, etc, and even space.

And now, in defense-related technology. The unveiling of the 6th Gen fighter is a shocker to many people. Many are in denial, saying the US had done it in 2020. I am sure the US has flown some technology demonstrators, but that is not close to the J36 prototype finish we saw fly recently. Otherwise the media will splash it all over the net or print newspaper

The fact that they rethink the whole thing makes it seem that the proposed NGAD is technologically dead-end. It is just too expensive and unaffordable. Now, the talk of upgraded F35.This guy explained the implications of J 35 well and the status of J 35. He tends to believe it is a prototype and not a technology demonstrator.

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[Deino]

I see a lot of comments still extolling the superiority of US technology. I guess it is hard to wake up from a dream. Let's face it: China has surpassed the US in selected technology. We see it in renewable, solar, car, infrastructure, Heavy industry, robotics, etc, and even space.

And now, in defense-related technology. The unveiling of the 6th Gen fighter is a shocker to many people. Many are in denial, saying the US had done it in 2020. I am sure the US has flown some technology demonstrators, but that is not close to the J36 prototype finish we saw fly recently. Otherwise the media will splash it all over the net or print newspaper
…

That‘s exactly the point I hate the most at the moment! Yes, the unveiling was a surprise and it‘S understandable that this is „rated a shock“ - which I don‘t think and now many are celebrating this and - as you claim - „a lot of comments still extolling the superiority of US technology. I guess it is hard to wake up from a dream“, but the bolt part highlights exactly shows a new hubris that is totally unfounded!

To portray the J-36 as something „but that is not close to the J36 prototype finish we saw fly recently.“ is just wrong or at best misleading, since we don‘t WHAt the US flew years ago! And this part ist just stupid: „Otherwise the media will splash it all over the net or print newspaper“

To show and discuss something that wasn‘t revealed yet is impossible … and we all know - just look at the F-117, several black projects of ISR-drones - the US had more than once a type far far ahead and in service before we ever got aware of it.
Yes, that‘s unlikely for the NGAD, but since we don‘t know how it looked like, what was its aim to test we sustain know NOTHING!

 

[iblini]

I just found this guy on youtube, worth to go through.
@Deino @Yasser76
@UKBengali @FuturePAF @Dalit

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[mack8]

Gorgeous CGI if the J-50 carrier variant

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[Michael]

A patent filed by 601 Institute in 2021.
High-mobility UCAV (1 turbofan engine + 6 solid rocket engines)
It could be one of the components of SAC's new toy system.

This UCAV can utilize the powerful power brought by its six solid rocket motors to achieve ultra-high-speed maneuverability in the face of air-to-air missile attacks, thus evading air-to-air missiles and improving the UCAV's survivability.

 

[Deino]

Interesting CG of SAC's fighter:

https://www.xiaohongshu.com/explore/6788da2900000000160180c9?xsec_token=ABPbFxWGB0pzuCUt3Za7Zi6eBXoBQN68fCAhZ9vkqewcw=&xsec_source=pc_feed

 

[BonitoBoy]

Anybody notice the number printed on the the front side of J 36 is 36011. So this is definitely not the first prototype of J 36, can this mean it's the number 11 ? Judging from this number, maybe J 36 is more ready than we think, maybe that's why the color of
J 36 is not painted yellow anymore as usual in the testing phase.


View attachment 92380

It could also be 3601.1 360II...!