The second prototype of China's J-36 took off, drawing attention as foreign media said the U.S. progress is too fast.

Second J-36 Takes Off, U.S. Media: U.S. Progress Too Fast, China Is Panicking

November 4th news, recently, the second prototype of China's J-36 took off. The U.S. magazine "The National Interest" claimed that China's move was due to the rapid progress of the U.S. sixth-generation fighter jet, and Beijing has experienced a "technological panic."

However, from an overall perspective, the Chinese aviation industry clearly has not fallen into anxiety, but is steadily advancing its own roadmap for the sixth-generation aircraft.

The unveiling of the J-36 is not an emergency response, but a natural progression of the planned schedule.

The Chinese military-industrial system is completely different from the U.S. development model. The U.S. relies on congressional funding and a contract system dominated by defense giants, with long project cycles and high risks; China, on the other hand, achieves continuous testing and iterative improvements through unified strategic deployment and centralized resource advantages.

The appearance of the second prototype of the J-36 is not about catching up, but entering the next phase of flight tests, focusing on optimizing aerodynamic layout and vector control.

Foreign media misinterpret China's speed because they are accustomed to interpreting the Chinese engineering system through American project thinking.

The word "panic" itself is an emotional statement. The real anxiety lies with the U.S. defense industry, which is worried about losing its technological advantage.

Since the U.S. sixth-generation aircraft project was reported to have taken off in 2019, it has not yet released a clear photo or entered the mass production stage.

In contrast, China not only publicly tests prototypes, but also simultaneously advances the coordinated verification of engines, radar, and AI control systems. If there is indeed panic, it should be in the U.S., not in China.

The emergence of the J-36 marks that China is steadily entering the era of sixth-generation fighter jets. China does not rush to claim superiority, but focuses on building a self-consistent technical system.

The so-called "China panic theory" by foreign media ignores a fact: China has time, resources, and more importantly, strategic patience. The real gap is not in the timing of the first flight, but in who can turn prototypes into combat capabilities faster.

Original: www.toutiao.com/article/1847833503664139/

Statement: This article represents the views of the author.