New Chinese aircraft made their maiden flights
Date
12/31/2024 4:55:38 AM
(MENAFN) Two new Chinese aircraft, believed to be the first "sixth-generation fighter jets," made their maiden flights on December 26, sparking significant attention globally, despite Beijing's silence on the development. Military expert Mikhail Khodarenok, a retired Russian colonel, described the new planes as part of China's serious effort to dominate air power in the 21st century, signaling a major media victory over the U.S. He warned, however, against making overly optimistic assumptions based on the jets’ appearance alone.
One of the aircraft, larger in size, has a diamond-shaped, tailless design with three engines and split rudders for yaw control. It was accompanied by the Chengdu J-20, a fifth-generation Chinese fighter. The plane’s size and structure suggest it could serve as a fighter-bomber, similar to the Russian Sukhoi Su-34 or the U.S. F-15E.
The smaller jet, designed with arrow-shaped wings and two engines, lacks a tail but features full-movable vertical stabilizers for control. It was escorted by a Chinese Shenyang J-16 strike fighter. This jet may be intended as a lighter air-superiority fighter, though some experts speculate that the two new planes could represent rival prototypes developed by Chengdu and Shenyang.
Khodarenok emphasized that China’s air power ambitions, including the development of these new fighters, are an effort to strengthen its global influence and support its vision for the future world order. However, he cautioned that it’s too early to definitively classify these planes as "sixth generation." Modern air combat success relies not just on airframe design but on advanced integrated communication systems, which link various weaponry into a cohesive network, something not yet proven in these new jets.
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