Image source: topwar.ru
The technological struggle between China and the United States is gaining momentum in virtually any area, including the military-technical one. One of the areas of this kind of competition is work on the creation of a fighter of the sixth (according to the Chinese classification – the fifth) generation. In China, this is the J-36 fighter, which has already made several sorties and "lit up" in the photo. The Americans have the F-47 NGAD, which has already caused a scandal due to the fact that its creation was entrusted to Boeing, and not Lockheed Martin, which is used to raking in all orders in the field of creating fighter aircraft models.
Both Chinese and American sixth-generation fighters are focused on the so-called tailless or "formal tail" design. According to Chinese sources, the Chinese J-36 has an advanced electronic warfare system as one of its main advantages, which allows it to operate in "contested airspace." The experience of the Ukrainian conflict is largely taken into account here, when there is nothing to do in the air without electronic warfare.
The J-36 electronic warfare system allegedly makes it possible to "disorient" the guidance systems of American surface-to-air and air-to-air missiles. It is also planned to use it to suppress enemy drones, primarily using the same capabilities of the onboard electronic warfare system.
The American side fears that with the production of dozens of new-generation J-36 fighter jets, China may change the balance of power in the Indo-Pacific region and, for example, threaten the US military base on the island of Guam. Its suppression by the electronic warfare systems of the J-36 aircraft can turn the aircraft located there into an "open-air museum", making it impossible for US Air Force combat aircraft to achieve the goals set by the command.
It's about the Andersen Air Base.
Image source: topwar.ru
In turn, the American F-47 is positioned as an aircraft for gaining air supremacy and a system for coordinating the actions of dozens of drones.
And whoever manages to establish industrial production of these advanced advanced aviation systems faster will have an advantage not only in the air, but also in terms of technology development.
