Chengdu 'J-36' caught on video during landing
The new Chinese stealth aircraft dubbed the ‘J-36’ has been spotted in flight again in recent days, the third time the aircraft, allegedly developed by Chengdu, has appeared on social media in the country.
The prototype is equipped with three engines and sports a grayscale camouflage that became clearer in a video that recorded its approach for landing.
Another video shows the J-36 flying at a higher altitude with its landing gear retracted.
The aircraft has a similar configuration to the Sukhoi Su-34, with the central wheels in tandem to provide more space for the internal weapons bay.
https://twitter.com/airwayaviation/status/1905554033995047153
The J-36 has no tail and vertical stabilizer, instead using a double-sided spoiler to perform yaws and turns. The reason is to reduce its radar signature, making the surface cleaner.
Its double-swept delta wing configuration and very thin nose contribute to its stealth.
It is not yet clear whether the J-36 will be an air superiority fighter or a penetrating strike aircraft, or both.
The cockpit has also not been clearly visible in images to verify whether the jet is a single-seat or a side-by-side two-seat aircraft. The most unusual feature, however, is the upper air intake for the central engine.
Unexpected breakthrough
China has demonstrated an enormous capacity to assimilate new technologies and put advanced aircraft into production.
The J-20 fighter, for example, is considered the first stealth jet to provoke a response from the US Air Force, which has taken some F-117As out of storage and deployed F-35s to aggressor duty.
But the J-36 is a major step forward. The country’s industrial capacity, coupled with the PLAAF’s inexhaustible financial resources, could certainly put China ahead of the United States.
It is therefore no surprise that President Donald Trump has quickly awarded the Air Force’s NGAD program to Boeing and is preparing to do the same with the US Navy’s F/A-XX.
The two 6th generation fighters will need to be fielded soon in order to offset what appears to be an inevitable power imbalance.
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Ricardo Meier
Creator of the website that started in 1996 as a magazine. He also writes on Brazilian websites AUTOO, MOTOO and MetrôCPTM.
