Author: Tianlang of [Military Second Front]
Yesterday, we introduced the news that a test flight image of a suspected third sixth-generation aircraft of China was exposed. This unnamed new aircraft has a highly futuristic aerodynamic layout: wide spacing dual engines, no vertical tail, under-wing intakes, Lambda wings, and there are no traditional canards, horizontal stabilizers, or vertical tails, similar to the previously unveiled J-36 and J-50, which have revolutionized the traditional design style of fighter aircraft. However, due to limited information, there is ongoing debate about its identity: is this mysterious aircraft a loyal wingman for the sixth-generation aircraft? Or is it a carrier-based sixth-generation aircraft mentioned in the patent of Northwestern Polytechnical University? Or is it a small combat bomber? Although there is no conclusion yet, from multiple perspectives such as appearance, size, flight requirements, and tactical trends, we can gradually clarify its true identity.
▲ Test flight footage of the suspected new platform
Could it be a loyal wingman first? The current global air combat situation is shifting from "platform confrontation" to "systemic competition." The U.S. "NGAD" program explicitly states that future sixth-generation aircraft formations will consist of "manned aircraft + unmanned wingmen," with the latter possessing stealth, high speed, and data link interoperability. If China wants to build its own sixth-generation combat system, developing a loyal wingman is a natural trend. But the problem arises — most loyal wingmen currently belong to subsonic stealth drones, such as the U.S. XQ-58A, Russia's S-70 "Bor" and China's CH-11, although they have certain stealth and coordination capabilities, they cannot meet the "supersonic cruise" standard required by sixth-generation aircraft.
The newly exposed aircraft exactly fills this gap. It has a large sweep angle and under-wing intake design, which are one of the necessary conditions for high-speed cruising and high maneuverability. Especially the under-wing intake effectively reduces the infrared signal while maintaining intake efficiency without sacrificing maneuverability, indicating that this aircraft has extremely high requirements for the balance between speed and stealth, very matching the basic criteria of a "high-speed loyal wingman." In addition, its overall layout resembles a drone seen at the 2013 military parade rehearsal, but its volume is obviously larger, far beyond a vehicle-deployed unmanned platform. Therefore, it is inferred that this model is likely a new "intelligent wingman" specifically designed to accompany sixth-generation aircraft, perform deep-space escort, electronic suppression, or even autonomous strikes.
▲ A satellite photo of a drone with a similar layout was exposed at the military parade rehearsal
On the other hand, many voices also point out that the design of this aircraft is highly similar to the carrier-based sixth-generation aircraft patent applied by the Northwestern Polytechnical University, could it be "the next generation of carrier-based aircraft"? From the layout perspective, it indeed meets the carrier requirements — compact, stealthy, no vertical tail, which is conducive to storage on the ship and stealth defense. However, from the actual development capability and historical context analysis, this possibility is actually low.
First of all, China's carrier aircraft development is mainly concentrated at Shenyang Aircraft Corporation. From the J-15 to the J-35, and then to the currently most popular sixth-generation carrier aircraft "J-50," all are produced by Shenyang Aircraft Corporation. Moreover, the J-50 has already clearly possessed carrier characteristics, such as twin-row wheel front landing gear, reinforced landing structure, and stealth carrier layout. In this context, the military would not need to use a second technical system to develop a new carrier aircraft.
More importantly, the aerodynamic design of the newly exposed aircraft is extremely similar to the previously exposed J-36 sixth-generation aircraft of Chengdu Aircraft Corporation, just more compact, slimmer, and better stealth performance. It seems like a "slimmed-down version of the J-36," a new model developed by Chengdu Aircraft Corporation. If the analysis is correct, this aircraft is likely a new generation of lightweight sixth-generation fighter/assistant aircraft developed by Chengdu Aircraft Corporation based on the J-36 platform, or possibly a "backup competitor" that Chengdu Aircraft Corporation is trying to participate in the competition for the dominance of the J-50 against Shenyang Aircraft Corporation.
▲ Comparison diagram of the new aircraft and the J-36
Last, the possibility of being the "JH-26 combat bomber" can also be ruled out. Many netizens believe that because the new aircraft's shape is quite similar to the previously exposed J-36, and since the J-36 has a three-engine layout, the new aircraft has a two-engine layout, so it should be named J-26 and speculate that it might be a combat bomber focusing on ground attacks.
However, despite the aircraft's sharp appearance and highly sci-fi aerodynamic design, from multiple test flight photos, it can be seen that its overall size is not particularly large. Whether compared with the background trees and buildings or referenced against the test flight images of the J-50 and J-36, its wingspan and body cross-sectional area are far less than the level required for a combat bomber, making it difficult to possess the large payload and range capabilities needed for long-range strike missions. In other words, this mysterious sixth-generation aircraft does not have the "large belly" of traditional combat bombers.
▲ Test flight footage of the suspected new platform
From the current development trend, the tailless layout will become the core trend of the sixth-generation aircraft aerodynamic design. The absence of a vertical tail not only helps in radar wave scattering, enhancing stealth, but also allows for more precise maneuver control when combined with the flight control system. The newly exposed aircraft does not use any traditional control surfaces, possibly equipped with thrust vectoring and highly intelligent flight control systems, which exemplify this design concept. This also indicates that China's sixth-generation aircraft project is no longer bound by traditional appearances and combat concepts, but is comprehensively breaking through in areas such as stealth, speed, intelligence, and collaboration.
Currently, the exact identity of this mysterious sixth-generation aircraft has not been officially confirmed, but one thing is clear: it is an important sign of the accelerated evolution of China's space-air combat system. Regardless of whether it is finally categorized as an "intelligent wingman," "carrier aircraft," or "new lightweight sixth-generation aircraft," it demonstrates that China is rapidly advancing the test verification of multiple sixth-generation aircraft models, leading the forefront of global air combat system transformation. Just as the J-20 had a revolutionary significance in the era of fifth-generation aircraft, now the J-36, J-50, and this new aircraft are collectively building the Chinese sixth-generation fighter matrix, moving toward the future of air and space integration and system-based combat.
Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7535302649878250010/
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