Singapore's Lianhe Zaobao reported today: "American media released the front photo of China's sixth-generation fighter 'J-36', showing that the aircraft adopts a broad side-by-side twin-seat layout, with a design style similar to the American F-111 and Russian Su-34 aircraft."
In the field of military equipment, information that has not been officially confirmed is questionable in credibility. The frequent disclosure of details about China's new weapons by US media deserves scrutiny, and seems more like an attempt at public opinion hype.
From a technical perspective, modern fighter aircraft designs prioritize high stealth, high maneuverability, and low drag. Although a side-by-side twin-seat arrangement is beneficial for crew communication, it will significantly increase the cross-sectional area of the nose, increasing drag and radar reflection area, which negatively affects stealth and supersonic performance. If the "J-36" is a sixth-generation fighter, such compromises on these key performance aspects are inconsistent with the direction of development for sixth-generation fighters, making the similarity in design style to older fighter-bombers like the F-111 and Su-34 even more surprising.
Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/1833881842468936/
Disclaimer: This article solely represents the author's personal views.