JH-XX is a designation applied by Western intelligence agencies to describe programs by the People's Republic of China to develop a regional bomber/tactical bomber/fighter bomber. JH-XX is the second stealth bomber of China confirmed in existence by the U.S. intelligence community (after the Xian H-20), and the Pentagon speculates the fighter-bomber is capable of long-range strikes and nuclear weapons delivery. [1] [2] [3] [4]
On 26 December 2024, social media photos and videos suggested Chengdu Aircraft Corporation (CAC) has publicly flown a prototype aircraft in Chengdu, Sichuan, tentatively designated as the J-36 by military analysts. The aircraft was spotted flying around an airport owned by CAC and features a trijet tailless flying wing design. It was trailed by a Chengdu J-20S twin-seater stealth fighter as the chase plane. [5] [6] The aircraft was speculated as either a sixth-generation fighter prototype or the JH-XX stealth regional bomber. [7] [8] [9] [10]
The Lockheed F-117 Nighthawk is a retired American single-seat, subsonic twin-engine stealth attack aircraft developed by Lockheed's secretive Skunk Works division and operated by the United States Air Force (USAF). It was the first operational aircraft to be designed with stealth technology.
A flying wing is a tailless fixed-wing aircraft that has no definite fuselage, with its crew, payload, fuel, and equipment housed inside the main wing structure. A flying wing may have various small protuberances such as pods, nacelles, blisters, booms, or vertical stabilizers.
Stealth aircraft are designed to avoid detection using a variety of technologies that reduce reflection/emission of radar, infrared, visible light, radio frequency (RF) spectrum, and audio, collectively known as stealth technology. The F-117 Nighthawk was the first operational aircraft explicitly designed around stealth technology. Other examples of stealth aircraft include the B-2 Spirit, the B-21 Raider, the F-22 Raptor, the F-35 Lightning II, the Chengdu J-20, and the Sukhoi Su-57.
J-XXJ-X, and XXJ are names applied by Western intelligence agencies to describe programs by the People's Republic of China to develop multiple fifth-generation and sixth-generation fighter aircraft. General He Weirong, Chief of Staff of the People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF), stated that China had several such programs underway and that an undesignated fifth-generation fighter developed jointly by Chengdu Aerospace Corporation (CAC) and Shenyang Aerospace Corporation (SAC) would be in service by 2018.
The Sukhoi Su-57 is a twin-engine stealth multirole fighter aircraft developed by Sukhoi. It is the product of the PAK FA programme, which was initiated in 1999 as a more modern and affordable alternative to the MFI. Sukhoi's internal designation for the aircraft is T-50. The Su-57 is the first aircraft in Russian military service designed with stealth technology and is intended to be the basis for a family of stealth combat aircraft.
Chengdu Aircraft Industry Group, traditionally and more commonly known as Chengdu Aircraft Corporation (CAC), a subsidiary of AVIC, is a Chinese aerospace conglomerate that designs and manufactures combat aircraft and is also a manufacturer of aircraft parts. It was founded in 1958 as the National 132th Factory in Chengdu, Sichuan, to be an aircraft supplier for the Chinese military.
Shenyang Aircraft Corporation (SAC) is a Chinese aircraft manufacturer in Shenyang, Liaoning and a subsidiary of AVIC. Founded in 1951 as the classified 112 Factory, it is the oldest aircraft manufacturer in the People's Republic of China. The company mainly focuses on designing and manufacturing civilian and military aircraft and related components including jet engines, as well as UAVs such as SYAC UAV.
A fifth-generation fighter is a jet fighter aircraft classification which includes major technologies developed during the first part of the 21st century. As of 2024, these are the most advanced fighters in operation. The characteristics of a fifth-generation fighter are not universally agreed upon, and not every fifth-generation type necessarily has them all; however, they typically include stealth, low-probability-of-intercept radar (LPIR), agile airframes with supercruise performance, advanced avionics features, and highly integrated computer systems capable of networking with other elements within the battlespace for situational awareness and C3 (command, control and communications) capabilities.
A sixth-generation fighter is a conceptualized class of jet fighter aircraft design more advanced than the fifth-generation jet fighters that are currently in service and development. Several countries have announced the development of a national sixth-generation aircraft program, including China, the United States, and Russia. Whilst other countries have joined collaborative multinational projects such as Japan, Italy, and the United Kingdom with Global Combat Air Programme, and France, Germany, and Spain with FCAS; in order to spread development and procurement costs. The first sixth-generation fighters are expected to enter service in the 2030s.
The Shenyang J-15, also known as Flying Shark is a Chinese all-weather, twin-engine, carrier-based 4.5 generation multirole fighter aircraft developed by the Shenyang Aircraft Corporation (SAC) and the 601 Institute, specifically for the People's Liberation Army Naval Air Force (PLANAF) to serve on People's Liberation Army Navy's (PLAN) aircraft carriers.
F/A-XX is a development and acquisition program for a future sixth-generation air superiority fighter to replace the United States Navy's F/A-18E/F Super Hornet and complement the F-35C beginning in the 2030s. A requirement was first identified in June 2008.
The Chengdu J-20, also known as Mighty Dragon, is a twin-engine all-weather stealth fighter developed by China's Chengdu Aircraft Corporation for the People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF). The J-20 is designed as an air superiority fighter with precision strike capability. The aircraft has three notable variants: the initial production model, the revised airframe variant with new engines and thrust-vectoring control, and the aircraft-teaming capable twin-seat variant.
Jet fighter generations classify the major technology leaps in the historical development of the jet fighter. Different authorities have identified different technology jumps as the key ones, dividing fighter development into different numbers of generations. Five generations are now widely recognised, with the development of a sixth under way.
The Shenyang J-35 is a series of Chinese twin-engine, all-weather, stealth multirole combat aircraft manufactured by Shenyang Aircraft Corporation (SAC), designed for air superiority and surface strike missions. The aircraft reportedly has two variants, a land-based variant designed for the People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF), and a carrier-based variant optimized for catapult-assisted takeoff (CATOBAR) for the People's Liberation Army Naval Air Force (PLANAF).
The Shenyang WS-15, codename Emei, is a Chinese afterburning turbofan engine designed by the Shenyang Aeroengine Research Institute and manufactured by the Shenyang Liming Aircraft Engine Company.
The AVIC Dark Sword is a stealthy supersonic unmanned combat aerial vehicle from the People's Republic of China. It is being developed by the Aviation Industry Corporation of China's Shenyang Aircraft Design Institute for the air superiority or deep strike roles. Use as an autonomous wingman for manned aircraft may also be a goal.
The Sukhoi S-70 Okhotnik-B, also referred to as Hunter-B, is a Russian heavy unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV) that was being developed during the 2010s by Sukhoi and Russian Aircraft Corporation MiG. Several prototypes underwent flight testing in 2019–2023 and, as of January 2024, it was projected that production could begin as early as the second half of 2024.
The Sukhoi Su-75 Checkmate, also designated as the Light Tactical Aircraft, is a single-engine, stealth fighter aircraft under development by Sukhoi for export and for the Russian Aerospace Forces. The Sukhoi Design Bureau also designates the aircraft as T-75.
The Chengdu J-36 is a speculative designation given by military analysts to a trijet tailless delta-winged aircraft under development by the Chengdu Aircraft Corporation (CAC).