China unveils two prototypes in race for next-gen air dominance
The Chinese have unveiled not one but two fighter jets in the air that could belong to the sixth generation. We reveal what the second prototype might be.
In China, on 25th December, the birthday of Mao Zedong, the founder of the People's Republic of China, a mysterious aircraft was showcased by Chengdu Aircraft Industry Group (CAIG), which is allegedly a sixth-generation machine. However, that was not all, as shortly after, photos surfaced of another similar aircraft identified as the work of Shenyang Aircraft Corporation (SAC), which produces, among others, the Shenyang J-11 aircraft, a developmental copy of the Russian Su-27.
This situation is not unusual if a country has several aircraft manufacturers, as is the case, for instance, in the USA. Many parties are interested in a machine for the People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF), and it resembles the competition in the USA concerning the F-22 Raptor, where the competitors were Lockheed Martin with the YF-22 and the Northrop/McDonnell Douglas duo with the YF-23 Black Widow II.
The second mysterious Chinese aircraft — a competitor for the PLAAF's future machine
The presence of two flying prototypes suggests that the Chinese sixth-generation fighter jet programme seems to be at a much higher level of advancement than the NGAD programme in the United States, or the Tempest and GCAP in European countries, which are still in the conceptual phase.
Like the prototype from CAIG, the fighter from SAC appears to be based on a delta wing variation without a vertical stabiliser. However, the model from SAC seems much smaller and, as the portal The Aviationist notes, it may be a twin-engine aircraft with two square air intakes below the wing root.
Features of sixth-generation aircraft
Currently, there is no precisely defined list of features for sixth-generation machines, but various projects share certain common requirements. Modern aircraft should be equipped with advanced electronic warfare capabilities, capable of operating against targets beyond direct line of sight, and possess the ability to strike targets in the air, on land, and at sea.
They are also expected to have improved aerodynamics, which could necessitate forgoing traditional control surfaces. Additionally, pilots are to be supported by artificial intelligence (AI). The new aircraft is also expected to easily cooperate with so-called unmanned loyal wingmen.
There is increasing discussion about the possibility of unmanned operation and the use of energy weapons, such as lasers, which are being developed by American laboratories, among others.
