Latest news with #J-XDS
Yahoo
07-06-2025
- Yahoo
This Could Be Our Best View Yet Of China's J-36 Very Heavy Stealth Tactical Jet
A new image appearing to show China's 'J-36' 6th generation tactical jet parked on the ground has emerged online. If legitimate, this would be the best front view of the aircraft to date, notably providing clear proof of the canopy design and further confirmation of a side-by-side seating arrangement. What looks to be three open ventral weapons bays, along with nearby personnel, underscore the design's large size — something of a hybrid between a very heavy fighter and a tactical bomber. You can read more about what is already known about the J-36, as well as the second of China's 6th generation jets, referred to variously as the J-XDS or J-50, in this past in-depth feature. It is immediately worth noting that there are some visual anomalies in the image in question, which is seen at the top of this story and in various parts below, and was clearly taken with a long lens at a distance, low over the ground. Most significantly, areas around the rear end of the aircraft and its dorsal inlet look as though they may have been 'smudged' or 'cloned out' to some degree. This 'missing area' behind the dorsal inlet could also just be glare from a lighter-colored section of the aircraft camouflage paint scheme, or some combination of the two, but it is hard to say definitively. The main gear area — especially the right side of the image) appears to be manipulated or there is something placed there in the shadows. The image is also a picture taken of another picture on a computer monitor, which could cause some visual distortions. In addition, many phone cameras now produce images that are 'enhanced' by default. At the same time, overall, the core image does look legitimate. In addition, the background aligns with an area around an extended-width shelter, and especially the distinctive white slatted jet-blast barrier built behind it. The shelter first appeared at the Chengdu Aircraft Corporation's main plant in the Chinese city of the same name last December. That was when the J-36, together with the J-XDS/J-50, first broke cover. Chengdu is understood to be the developer of the J-36, and the aircraft been observed flying from there on multiple occasions in the past six months. Another secure hangar on the main ramp appears to have been built to support the program, as well. If the image is indeed real, it would fully put to rest the question of whether or not the J-36 has at least a two-seat side-by-side cockpit configuration akin to the U.S.-made F-111 or the Soviet-designed Su-34. The green-tinted reflections from two separate heads-up displays (HUDs) are plainly visible, as seen below. TWZ has previously noted that a crew of two seems most likely to meet the demands of the jet's expected mission sets, as you can read more about more in this past feature. Also, perhaps of the highest interest at this stage, is the very strong evidence, based on the open doors that are visible, of the presence of two smaller weapons bays that flank the jet's large ventral weapons bay. There does not appear to be any confusion between those bay doors and the ones for the aircraft's landing gear. Previous underside views of the J-36 have shown large, molded, outward-hinging doors for the aircraft's large tandem-wheel main landing gear, as well as two smaller doors for the nose gear bay. The possibility of additional weapons bays within the J-36's fuselage to either side of the main bay has been raised in the past, but there has been no clear evidence of that in the past. TWZ has previously highlighted the significant internal volume, overall, that the J-36 clearly has, and the implications thereof, writing: 'The semi-blended ventral central fuselage area has some similarities with the J-20, notably its weapons bay configuration. While the aircraft clearly has a very large internal volume, putting a bit of a bias on fuel fraction over magazine depth would be a good assumption. A weapons bay somewhat longer, but far deeper than that found on the J-20 would provide ample space for multiple smaller stores and at least a couple of very large ones. A rotary weapons rack seems questionable, but if it is possible, it would only be advantageous for certain weapons loadouts featuring numerous, smaller munitions. Additional side bays for air-to-air weaponry, as shown by many fan art depictions, may be possible, although there is no clear evidence of them at this time.' The two auxiliary bays would be especially useful for air-to-air missiles and smaller guided air-to-surface weapons, which would allow the cavernous central bay to be reserved for larger loads, including outsized standoff weapons. Before this image, there was only speculation and fleeting evidence that these bays might exist, but now it seems quite likely they do. You can also see these bay doors swing outward, precluding them from being related to the aircraft's main landing gear. In addition, the new head-on image offers another look at the large aperture windows, typically associated with electro-optical/infrared sensors, on either side of the J-36's nose. We also get an additional view of the lower trapezoidal air inlets on either side of J-36's cockpit, as well as the dorsal inlet, which are linked to the aircraft's unique triple-engine configuration. The lower inlets are broadly similar in shape to those found on the U.S. F-22 Raptor stealth fighter. Otherwise, as noted, the view in the newly emerged image underscores the overall size of the J-36, which is itself a very unusual feature of the design. The ground personnel visible provide an additional sense of scale that we've not had previously. China is known to have been pursuing a 'regional bomber' of sorts, sometimes referred to as the JH-XX, at least in the past. It remains unclear whether or not the J-36 is meant to fulfill the JH-XX requirements in any way, or blend them together in some part with a next-generation heavy fighter role. As TWZ previously wrote in our deep-dive feature into what is known about the J-36, and, to a lesser extent, the J-XDS/J-50: 'Similar to the 6th generation definition issue, putting an aircraft like this into a single bucket is challenging just as an observational exercise, and the reality of how China views it could reflect that. Definitively declaring any new highly advanced platform a 'bomber' in 2025 is also an uninformed simplification or just a casual moniker. Just as the B-21 is a multi-role platform, the JH-XX, and even the H-20, would be as well, with the latter's less traditional capabilities possibly expanding more slowly over time. While fine to use casually, the term 'bomber' is now a traditional carry-over that is unrepresentative of what any new long-range, high-end combat aircraft will be capable of.' The new image of the J-36 is the latest in a steady stream of increasingly more interesting visuals of that aircraft, as well as the J-XDS/J-50, which continue to offer more and more insights into both designs. Just in the past week, we had already gotten our first real head-on look at the J-36. This all follows typical trends with regard to 'leaked' imagery of new Chinese aircraft and other military assets, and as we stated in our original analysis, we would likely get an image like this by Summer. More detailed images, as well as one from the rear aspects will surely come. Contact the author: joe@
Yahoo
24-04-2025
- Yahoo
New Views Of China's Next Generation Fighters
Flight testing of China's two new next-generation fighter designs is continuing apace and offering new insights into both aircraft. The latest imagery of the larger of the two designs, commonly — but unofficially — called the J-36, offers the clearest look to date at the exhausts for its three engines and a new angle into its possible two-seat cockpit. Additional views of the second type, referred to variously as the J-XDS and J-50, show the interesting bay configuration on the side of the fuselage immediately behind the air intake and highlight other distinctive features like its swiveling wingtip control surfaces. TWZ has previously published a highly detailed analysis of both the J-36 and J-XDS/J-50, which readers can find here. There are no clear indications that the latest pictures and videos of the J-36 and J-XDS/J-50 have been fabricated, but this remains a possibility, albeit a very small one. Versions of some pictures of the aircraft that have been deliberately enhanced using generative artificial intelligence (AI) to try to glean more details are known to be circulating online. Many phone cameras now produce images that are similarly 'smoothed' by default, as well. The newest views of the J-36 in a video and associated still images, seen in the social media posts below, which are said to have been shot in the city of Chengdu. The Chengdu Aircraft Corporation, which has its main plant there, is responsible for the aircraft. Finally got my hands on this video! Crystal-clear footage of Chengdu's 6th-generation fighter jet soaring over Chengdu Airport. Absolutely amazing! #Chengdu6thGenFighter# — GaoFrank (@gaofrank75) April 23, 2025 Wow! I hope this latest image of the J-36 is legit but usually @琴石2022 on Weibo is quite credible! — @Rupprecht_A (@RupprechtDeino) April 23, 2025 As noted, the new rear aspect view of the J-36 gives the clearest look we've seen at the engine exhausts for its trio of engines, which is already a highly unusual feature of the aircraft. As seen below, we can now see 'petals' extending out over the top of the exhaust trenches that sit inward of the aircraft's tailing edge. This only underscores TWZ's previous analysis about the J-36's exhaust configuration and its major similarities in form and function to that found on Northrop's YF-23. The YF-23 also notably featured an exotic intake design with boundary layer pores to help improve airflow, as you can learn more about here. As we have previously written about the J-36's exhaust arrangement in general: 'This is a clear low-observable play both for radar and infrared signature management. Recessing the engine exhaust before the aircraft's upper trailing edge is a classic low-observable design element that Northrop largely pioneered with Tacit Blue, B-2 Spirit, and YF-23. The ejected exhaust is spread out and has the potential to be actively cooled by this upper deck area. Above all else, this provides very limited line-of-sight to the engine exhausts themselves, which helps significantly in minimizing infrared signature, as well as radar cross-section, from most aspects.' The J-36 video also offers a new view into the aircraft's cockpit. Since the aircraft first emerged publicly, there has been speculation that it may have a two-seat cockpit with side-by-side seating. The imagery we have now is still inconclusive on this detail, but the possibility that two distinct heads-up displays may be visible has been raised by Andreas Rupprecht, a longtime Chinese military observer and contributor to this website. No, it clearly looks like two HUDs — @Rupprecht_A (@RupprechtDeino) April 23, 2025 Additional pictures and videos of the J-XDS/J-50 from the Shenyang Aircraft Corporation have also been circulating online in the past week or so. And the same one in cut-out form …(Images via @Captain小潇 on Weibo by OPPOFind 8) — @Rupprecht_A (@RupprechtDeino) April 23, 2025 Original image — John Jones (@nibelogn1996) April 17, 2025 Another set of images showing SAC's J-XDS prototype with its landing gear down and from the side … unfortunately still very small & blurry!(Images via @琴石2022 from Weibo) — @Rupprecht_A (@RupprechtDeino) April 23, 2025 A test flight of Shenyang's sixth-generation aircraft took place today. It is clearly visible that the aircraft's swiveling wingtips are rotating. — 笑脸男人 (@lfx160219) April 23, 2025 As mentioned, most interestingly, a bay of some kind with a pronounced bulge at the front is now plainly visible on at least the right side of the fuselage behind the air intake. It is also positioned right in front of the main landing bay on that side of the aircraft. Whether or not the J-XDS/J-50's bay may be for weapons or intended to serve some other purpose is unknown. Questions have already been raised about whether there is enough internal space in this part of the aircraft to hold a relevant munition. It is worth noting here that China's J-20 stealth fighter has weapons bays in roughly the same location, which also have a novel configuration wherein the missiles inside pop out fully along with their launch rails before firing, as you can read more about here. We also have much clearer views of the J-XDS/J-50's unique swiveling wingtip control surfaces. TWZ has previously assessed that these wingtips most likely help provide additional stability for the tailless aircraft, and has explored the advantages and disadvantages of such a design decision in detail. No idea yet, but also interesting what looks like massive actuators … — @Rupprecht_A (@RupprechtDeino) April 23, 2025 Though any new details about the J-36 and J-XDS/J-50 continue to draw particular attention, they represent just a portion of significant military aviation development efforts known to be ongoing in China, as well as additional work assumed to be going on outside of the public eye. Also today, a satellite image available through Google Earth began circulating online showing a curious object with a stealth fighter-like appearance, including a modified diamond-like delta platform, canards, and twin vertical tails, on the apron in front of the passenger terminal at Jining Qufu Airport in Shandong Province in eastern China. Additional satellite imagery from Planet Labs that TWZ reviews shows that it has been there since at least September 2024. This is all doubly curious given that Jining Qufu Airport, which had been collocated with the People's Liberation Army Air Force's (PLAAF) Jining Air Base, was officially closed in December 2023. What the 'airframe' is unclear, but it seems very likely to be a mock-up of some kind. It shows some rough similarities, but also significant differences to the Baidi Type-B, also known as the 'White Emperor,' an entirely fictional 'space fighter' design that the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC) displayed at the 2024 Zhuhai airshow. Comparisons have also already been drawn to vaguely J-20-esque 'shapes' that emerged at the remote Lintao Air Base in north-central China in 2022. However, the structure of the wings and the nose of the object at Jining are distinctly different from those previously seen at Lintao, which may also be mock-ups or decoys. A video is also now making the rounds on social media that has prompted questions about whether yet another new Chinese advanced military aircraft has emerged. What can be gleaned from the video is limited given how far away the aircraft is in the footage and its overall quality. Its provenance is also not immediately clear. What can be seen does not immediately appear to directly align with any known Chinese designs. Its overall shape also does not fit with a still-unidentified tailless fighter-like airframe that emerged at Shenyang's main plant in January, which TWZ was first to report on. China is reportedly testing a third platform in northern China, according to the latest visuals that have emerged on social aircraft appears to be different from the two previously known tailless designs currently undergoing is still too early to… — International Defence Analysis (@Defence_IDA) April 23, 2025 Yes and as I noted here I'm confused … it is so much blurry. The best guess would be some sort of UAV/UCAV. We simply need to wait for more. — @Rupprecht_A (@RupprechtDeino) April 23, 2025 At the same time, it would hardly be the first time a new advanced Chinese aircraft design has emerged suddenly. The dramatic appearance of the J-36 and J-XDS/J-50 flying on December 26th last year, despite no imagery having previously emerged of either aircraft, is a prime example. Ongoing testing of the J-36 and J-XDS/J-50 is certainly continuing to reveal new details about those designs. We had previously predicted that reasonably high-resolution images of the two aircraft would emerge by early summer in line with the pattern of past Chinese rolling 'leaks.' If other advanced Chinese military aircraft are now flying or are otherwise progressing into the latter stages of development, additional details may well begin to emerge about them, as well. Contact the author: joe@
Yahoo
16-04-2025
- Yahoo
Canopy Seen Clearly On China's Next Gen Tailless Stealth Fighter For First Time
China's next-generation tailless heavy fighter from the Shenyang Aircraft Corporation seemed to have taken a months-long hiatus between its first known flight and its second. Since then, it has been seen in the skies at an increasing rate. New images and video coming out of China show the jet – referred to unofficially by a number of designations, including J-XDS and J-50 – on another recent test sortie, with clearer shots of the enigmatic stealth fighter than ever before. This includes what appears to be our first real view of its cockpit canopy. The aircraft's canopy has been of particular interest since the plane first appeared to the public on December 26th, 2024. Up until now, no images have clearly shown it. The plane's broad nose, paired with the ground-based perspective of the photos, and their low quality, previously made only what may have been a part of a canopy visible in imagery. This led to the question of whether the heavy fighter-sized aircraft was crewed at all. J-XX/Shengad may have flown again today — 東風 (@eastwind6699) April 16, 2025 Our very in-depth analysis on this aircraft, and its larger tri-engined Chengdu Aircraft Corporation counterpart, came to the conclusion that the aircraft was almost certainly crewed. With this latest imagery, we can finally put that question to rest conclusively. One image shows a side-on view of the aircraft, providing a new perspective to analyze. Above all else, it depicts a very streamlined bubble canopy that blends closely with the upper fuselage. Canopies and cockpits can be a major hot spot for radar reflections. Minimizing their return is critical to the survivability of a low-observable crewed aircraft. In this case, for the same reasons that the canopy was so hard for us to see until now — it is difficult to view from lower aspects — also helps with keeping it out of line-of-sight of radar systems positioned below it. These can be on the surface or lower-flying aircraft. The service ceiling of the fighter is unknown, but it should be quite high in order to maximize its performance, as well as its sensor and weapons reach. It remains unknown if the jet has one or two crew. The canopy does look quite long, which could possibly accommodate a tandem crew layout. As it seems, we finally have a quite decent side shot of SAC's J-XDS from its flight today and also for the first time a clearer proof it has indeed a canopy. — @Rupprecht_A (@RupprechtDeino) April 16, 2025 This side view also provides a bit better sense of scale and form of the new jet. Its diamond-shaped forward fuselage with a prominent chine line high up near the cockpit is also readily visible. The blister under the nose that could represent a faceted aperture for an electro-optical targeting and/or infrared search and track (IRST) system, similar to what's found on the J-20 and the U.S. F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, is also visible. Another angle from the lower rear gives us a clearer view of the aircraft's exhausts. As expected, they are 2-D and likely thrust vectoring types, very similar to the U.S. F-22 Raptor's arrangement. This configuration would balance low observability, performance, agility, and especially stability, considering just how unstable a tailless tactical jet like this would be. China has been displaying its thrust vectoring engine concepts since at least 2022, with the one subscale model on the show floor at Zhuhai looking very similar to what we see in the latest imagery. We also see the unique swiveling wingtip control surfaces in action here, with the right side one highly deflected. Airshow China 2022: #China displays thrust vectoring engineshttps:// #airshowchina2022 #airshow #airdefence — Janes (@JanesINTEL) November 14, 2022 With each passing week, we are getting more and more detailed imagery of Shenyang's tailless stealth fighter, just as expected. If the flights continue, we should have a much better understanding of the aircraft's observable features by summer. Contact the author: Tyler@
Yahoo
27-01-2025
- Yahoo
China's Mysterious Tailless Stealth Fighter Has Swiveling Wingtips
A new photo of the still-mysterious Chinese tailless combat aircraft, likely from the Shenyang Aircraft Corporation, which first surfaced last month, provides a better view of the rear aspect of the jet. The image would appear to confirm that the aircraft's outer wingtip sections act as moving control surfaces, as we had previously suggested was a high possibility. You can read our full extremely in-depth analysis on both of China's new stealthy tailless tactical jets here. The photo in question was first published on the Chinese microblogging website Weibo. The aircraft is seen on approach to land, passing over a busy highway in daylight. Since it first appeared, some observers have suggested the jet may be designated J-50 (in the Chinese Jianjiji or fighter series), while others have referred to it as the J-XDS. At this stage, we simply don't know for sure. While it's worth noting that the authenticity of the photo cannot be confirmed, there's nothing to suggest that it's been manipulated and it's otherwise in line with the imagery of the aircraft that we have seen before. Via ACuriousPLAFan/SDF:'A rear view photo of J-XDS, posted by Cute Orca on Weibo with the caption "If this is not a PS-ed photo, this shows that the J-XDS has full-moving wingtips and no angled vertical stabilizers."' — @Rupprecht_A (@RupprechtDeino) January 27, 2025 Seen here from the rear aspect, there is no sign of the 'pop-out' maneuvering tail surfaces that some had suggested might be present and which had also appeared in 'fan art' of the same aircraft. The suggestion was that such surfaces might sit flush with the inner wing area, before being activated for low-speed flight, increasing control authority and maneuverability. As we explained in our analysis feature, this didn't seem to be the case and this photo helps disprove this claim further — especially since the aircraft is seen in a low-speed phase of flight when such control surfaces would be deployed. A fan art render shows an imagined configuration with 'pop-out' maneuvering tails, something that we can now more or less rule out: Just wow! SAC J-50 rendering with foldable tails — Húrin (@Hurin92) January 1, 2025 As we pointed out in the past, having these auxiliary tail surfaces would add more weight and complexity to the design, and also decrease fuel storage, which would likely not be worth any advantages they would bring in terms of stability and agility. The apparent confirmation that the aircraft has swiveling outer wingtip sections, which serve as major control surfaces, is significant. In this photo, the tip of the right wing can be clearly seen in a front-up, rear-down position. Having extremely widely spaced surfaces that span from the leading edge to the trailing edge like this should provide a lot of roll authority and, when deployed together, should also be used to control pitch. In this way, the outer wing sections — combined with an advanced digital flight control system — would help mitigate the stability issues that come with a tailless design. The disadvantage of this arrangement is a likely reduction in low observability, although the designers will have presumably decided that the compromise is worthwhile, especially if it is a requirement of the tailless configuration. This could be reduced in cruise to some degree by limiting the articulation of these surfaces, or even locking them out entirely unless a severe input is commanded. Still, just having a jointed area in this location is less than desirable in a similar manner to how canards are not conducive to extreme radar signature reduction goals. Aside from this, the new photo probably also provides us with our best look at what could be a cockpit canopy, which was not very discernible in previous images. While it's again hard to determine any details, a prominent bulge does at least seem to be present where a cockpit should be. There has been some speculation that this aircraft could be uncrewed. This doesn't seem to be the case by anything we are seeing, but it's always possible as the bulge could also accommodate a satellite communications package. Once again, this is very unlikely at this time. The low resolution of the photo means it's hard to determine much about the configuration of the fighter's engine exhausts, although the suggestion, once again, is that the twin powerplants are provided with 2D thrust-vectoring nozzles very similar to those found on the U.S. F-22 Raptor. This would also help with stability and maneuverability. The thickness of the fuselage — another aspect we discussed in our deep-dive analysis piece — is also showcased in this new image. As well as contributing to low observability, engine nozzles of this kind would enhance the aircraft's maneuverability and stability, key concerns considering that it's a relatively heavy, tailless design. Overall, there remain many unknowns about this, the second Chinese tailless combat aircraft to break cover last December 26. However, more photos are sure to emerge and these should gradually provide us with a much better idea about its design, as well as provide a hint toward its potential capabilities and anticipated role. Contact the author: thomas@
