A new unidentified aircraft has been spotted in the skies over China, closely resembling what the new sixth-generation fighter jets are expected to look like. The available footage shows it flying alongside the Chinese Chengdu J-20 fighter, which is regarded in Beijing as a fifth-generation representative.
Updated: Subsequently, with the emergence of more photos and videos featuring this aircraft, a more plausible assumption has arisen that it is a fighter-bomber under the project known in the West as JH-XX, about which more information is available in a separate article. We will leave the publication below unchanged.
The name of the new fighter, its specifications, capabilities, and the current stage of the project remain unknown. However, it can be stated that the Chinese development of a new generation fighter is already flying, in contrast to the J-20. Given that the aircraft's landing gear is not retracted, this marks one of its initial flights, if not the very first.
The available images indicate that this is quite a large twin-engine aircraft, designed in a tailless configuration and possibly lacking a vertical stabilizer, or its size is minimal, or it is retractable. The latter is linked to reduced radar visibility.
The new fighter is larger than the Chengdu J-20 and has a significantly greater wing area, assuming both aircraft are at the same altitude.
Ultimately, if China has indeed flown a prototype of a sixth-generation fighter, it means that it has significantly outpaced all existing projects of such machines in the West. In particular, the American NGAD project is still in the conceptual stage, and its funding and future are currently on hold pending Trump's decision.
In Europe, the most advanced project is Tempest, led by the United Kingdom, Italy, and Japan. At the very least, all major bureaucratic issues have been resolved, but the aircraft itself is expected to debut in 2028, with the introduction of this sixth-generation fighter planned for 2035. Thus, Tempest is set to outpace FCAS—an analogous project being developed by France, Germany, and Spain, and Belgium will join in 2025.
It is worth noting that the sixth generation of fighters is a purely conceptual term. Different countries may classify various aircraft under this terminology. Generally, it is believed that a sixth-generation fighter should meet the following criteria: optional manning with the use of artificial intelligence, advanced stealth capabilities, effectiveness across all speed regimes, long-range weaponry, and the presence of "loyal wingmen."
However, while the USA, Europe, and Japan ponder what they want and address bureaucratic, financial, and legal issues—China is simply getting things done.