Image source: topwar.ru
The latest Chinese secret fighter of the sixth generation, caught on camera at the end of December 2024, is most likely not designed for aerial combat. According to Western experts, the role of the center of the latest combat system is more suitable for him, the South China Morning Post (SCMP) reports.
The publication cites the opinion of former American pilot John Waters, who believes that the absence of a tail in the Chinese fighter, conventionally named J-36, speaks more about its stealth than about its super-maneuverable qualities. Therefore, he can act as a leader for an entire combat system, which will include various unmanned vehicles, and his participation in air battles is "unlikely."
According to another American expert, Bill Sweetman, the main task of the J-36 will be to attack enemy aircraft from a long range, not only in the air, but also on the ground, as well as those stationed on aircraft carriers. In general, this aircraft is designed for strikes, not air combat.
Image source: topwar.ru
It is also suggested that this aircraft will become the center of a large combat system, which, in addition to drones, will include manned fighters such as J-20 and J-35A, AWACS aircraft and tanker aircraft.
In general, there are many assumptions, but so far no one knows anything for sure, except the Chinese themselves. And they don't want to open the veil of secrecy yet. It is possible that the leak with the J-36 aircraft in the air was made specifically to see the international reaction.
