Flight testing of China’s two new next-generation fighter designs is continuous apace and providing new insights into each plane. The newest imagery of the bigger of the 2 designs, commonly — but unofficially — called the J-36, affords the clearest look up to now on the exhausts for its three engines and a special approach into its attainable two-seat cockpit. Extra views of the second sort, referred to as the J-XDS and J-50, present the fascinating bay configuration on the aspect of the fuselage instantly behind the air consumption and spotlight different distinctive options like its swiveling wingtip management surfaces.
TWZ has beforehand revealed a extremely detailed evaluation of each the J-36 and J-XDS/J-50, which readers can discover here.
There aren’t any clear indications that the newest footage and movies of the J-36 and J-XDS/J-50 have been fabricated, however this stays a risk, albeit a really small one. Variations of some footage of the plane which were intentionally enhanced utilizing generative synthetic intelligence (AI) to attempt to glean extra particulars are known to be circulating online. Many telephone cameras now produce pictures which might be equally ‘smoothed’ by default, as effectively.
The most recent views of the J-36 in a video and related nonetheless pictures are seen within the social media posts beneath, that are mentioned to have been shot within the metropolis of Chengdu. The Chengdu Plane Company, which has its main plant there, is answerable for the plane.
As famous, the brand new rear side view of the J-36 provides the clearest look we’ve seen on the engine exhausts for its trio of engines, which is already a extremely uncommon characteristic of the plane. As seen beneath, we are able to now see ‘petals’ extending out excessive of the exhaust trenches that sit inward of the plane’s tailing edge. This solely underscores TWZ‘s previous analysis concerning the J-36’s exhaust configuration and its main similarities in kind and performance to that discovered on Northrop’s YF-23. The YF-23 additionally notably featured an unique consumption design with boundary layer pores to assist enhance airflow, as you may be taught extra about here.
Chinese language web seize through X
A top-down have a look at Northrop’s YF-23 providing a very good view of its exhaust configuration, together with the trenches that sit inward of the tailing edge and the ‘petals’ that stretch out excessive of part of them. USAF
“It is a clear low-observable play each for radar and infrared signature administration. Recessing the engine exhaust earlier than the plane’s higher trailing edge is a basic low-observable design ingredient that Northrop largely pioneered with Tacit Blue, B-2 Spirit, and YF-23. The ejected exhaust is unfold out and has the potential to be actively cooled by this higher deck space. Above all else, this gives very restricted line-of-sight to the engine exhausts themselves, which helps considerably in minimizing infrared signature, in addition to radar cross-section, from most features.”
The J-36 video additionally affords a brand new view into the plane’s cockpit. For the reason that plane first emerged publicly, there was hypothesis that it might have a two-seat cockpit with side-by-side seating. The imagery we’ve now remains to be inconclusive on this element, however the risk that two distinct heads-up shows could also be seen has been raised by Andreas Rupprecht, a longtime Chinese language army observer and contributor to this website.
Extra footage and movies of the J-XDS/J-50 from the Shenyang Plane Company have additionally been circulating on-line up to now week or so.
One other set of pictures exhibiting SAC‘s J-XDS prototype with its touchdown gear down and from the aspect … sadly nonetheless very small & blurry!
As talked about, most apparently, a bay of some sort with a pronounced bulge on the entrance is now plainly seen on a minimum of the proper aspect of the fuselage behind the air consumption. Additionally it is positioned proper in entrance of the primary touchdown bay on that aspect of the plane.
A detailed-up have a look at the J-XDS/J-50’s bay on the proper aspect of the fuselage. Chinese language web through X
Whether or not or not the J-XDS/J-50’s bay could also be for weapons or supposed to serve another goal is unknown. Questions have already been raised about whether or not there may be sufficient inside area on this a part of the plane to carry a related munition. It’s value noting right here that China’s J-20 stealth fighter has weapons bays in roughly the identical location, which even have a novel configuration whereby the missiles inside come out absolutely together with their launch rails earlier than firing, as you may learn extra about here.
We even have a lot clearer views of the J-XDS/J-50’s distinctive swiveling wingtip management surfaces. TWZ has previously assessed that these wingtips more than likely assist present extra stability for the tailless plane, and we’ve explored the benefits and downsides of such a design resolution intimately.
Although any new particulars concerning the J-36 and J-XDS/J-50 proceed to attract explicit consideration, they symbolize only a portion of significant military aviation development efforts identified to be ongoing in China, in addition to extra work assumed to be occurring outdoors of the general public eye.
Additionally at this time, a satellite tv for pc picture obtainable via Google Earth started circulating on-line exhibiting a curious object with a stealth fighter-like look, together with a modified diamond-like delta platform, canards, and twin vertical tails, on the apron in entrance of the passenger terminal at Jining Qufu Airport in Shandong Province in japanese China. Extra satellite tv for pc imagery from Planet Labs that TWZ reviewed reveals that it has been there since a minimum of September 2024. That is all doubly curious provided that Jining Qufu Airport, which had been collocated with the Folks’s Liberation Military Air Pressure’s (PLAAF) Jining Air Base, was officially closed in December 2023.
A have a look at the thing seen within the March 2025 picture of Jining Qufu Airport obtainable via Google Earth. Google Earth
A wider view of the primary terminal at Jining Qufu Airport and the apron in entrance as seen within the March 2025 satellite tv for pc picture. Google Earth
Whereas the ‘airframe’ is unclear, it appears very prone to be a mock-up of some sort. It reveals some tough similarities, but in addition important variations to the Baidi Kind-B, often known as the “White Emperor,” an entirely fictional ‘area fighter’ design that the Aviation Business Company of China (AVIC) displayed on the 2024 Zhuhai airshow.
Comparisons have additionally already been drawn to vaguely J-20-esque ‘shapes’ that emerged on the distant Lintao Air Base in north-central China in 2022. Nevertheless, the construction of the wings and the nostril of the thing at Jining are distinctly totally different from these beforehand seen at Lintao, which can even be mock-ups or decoys.
A side-by-side comparability of one of many Lintao ‘shapes’ and the thing that has emerged at Jining. Google Earth
A video can also be now making the rounds on social media that has prompted questions on whether or not one more new Chinese language superior army plane has emerged. What may be gleaned from the video is restricted given how distant the plane is within the footage and its general high quality. Its provenance can also be not instantly clear. What may be seen doesn’t instantly seem to instantly align with any identified Chinese language designs. Its general form additionally doesn’t match with a still-unidentified tailless fighter-like airframe that emerged at Shenyang’s primary plant in January, whichTWZ was first to report on.
China is reportedly testing a 3rd platform in northern China, in line with the newest visuals which have emerged on social media.
The plane seems to be totally different from the 2 beforehand identified tailless designs at present present process testing.
— Worldwide Defence Evaluation (@Defence_IDA) April 23, 2025
On the similar time, it might hardly be the primary time a brand new superior Chinese language plane design has emerged immediately. The dramatic look of the J-36 and J-XDS/J-50 flying on Dec. 26 last year, regardless of no imagery having beforehand emerged of both plane, is a first-rate instance.
Ongoing testing of the J-36 and J-XDS/J-50 is definitely persevering with to disclose new particulars about these designs. We had beforehand predicted that fairly high-resolution pictures of the 2 plane would emerge by early summer season in keeping with the sample of previous Chinese language rolling ‘leaks.’
If different superior Chinese language army plane are actually flying or are in any other case progressing into the latter phases of improvement, extra particulars might effectively start to emerge about them, as effectively.
