December 26 was the 131st anniversary of the birth of Mao Tse-tung, the father of the People’s Republic of China. On that day, for the first time in the country’s social media, a video of two similar-looking warplanes was published. It has a huge response on the internet. According to experts, the videos show China’s new sixth-generation fighter aircraft ‘J-36’.
However, the Chinese government has not yet officially said anything about this warplane. However, the country’s military indicated otherwise. A video from the military’s Eastern Theater Command showed the leaves of a tree called “Ginkgo” on New Year’s Day. That page looks a lot like a new warplane.
Military experts believe that the video released by the military is a clear message that China is developing a sixth generation fighter jet. They referred to the plane as a J-36. Experts believe that the new fighter aircraft may have some groundbreaking features. However, some exemptions may also be made to do some important work with the fighter aircraft.
According to former U.S. Air Force pilot John Waters, the fighter has no wings at the rear. As a result, its radar’s eye-catching or ‘stealth’ capability will increase. However, the ability to run it in different techniques in the sky will be reduced. Waters compared the new fighter to the US B-21 Raider bomber capable of carrying nuclear bombs. He said that in the case of large fighters, the lack of maneuverability is not a problem. Because they do not participate in ‘dogfight’ or direct confrontation in the sky.
Peter Layton, a retired Australian Air Force officer, believes that the characteristics of the J-36 are very similar to the Russian-made MiG-31 fighter jet. The MiG-31 can go to remote areas and attack quickly. Layton said the J-36’s wheels provide evidence of its load-bearing capability. Some analysts believe that the J-36 can fly in the sky with a weight of more than 45,000 kg, which is more than the MiG-31.
Peter Layton said other areas of the aircraft could play a role, including accompanying China’s strategic bombers to protect them when they go to distant places. The fighter jet will be able to defend the airspace of places in China where there is no air defense system on the ground. A distant threat can destroy without flying in the sky.
Looking at the design of the J-36, Lu Guo-wei thinks that it can carry heavy weaponry. The New Zealand-based analyst gives an explanation of the Navy. According to him, this fighter can carry missiles like PL-17. This missile can destroy targets in the sky at a maximum distance of 400 kilometers. The aircraft will be able to run at more than four times the speed of sound (Mark-4) with these heavy weapons.
Lu Guo-wei thinks that the J-36 is more likely to work on a larger scale than direct confrontation. On the battlefield, the aircraft will build a network with frontline drones, J-20 fighter jets and J-35A fighter jets. Through this, conventional air warfare will be more informational and coordinated. In addition, the J-36’s advanced radar will be able to detect stealth fighters from a distance than the J-20. As a result, the strength of China’s air force will increase.