The Chinese sixth-generation fighter J-36 completes its second flight
China continues testing the J-36, a sixth-generation heavy fighter with strategic capabilities.
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The prototype of the Chinese sixth-generation heavy fighter, the J-36, completed its second test flight. Unlike the first flight, this time the J-36 flew solo, without an escort aircraft. The event was captured by Chinese spotters near the headquarters of the Chengdu Aircraft Industry Group (CAIG).
Very little is known about this novel aircraft, but it is speculated to feature a side-by-side two-seat cockpit, similar to the Su-34, which enhances crew comfort during long-range missions, reinforcing the theory that this heavy fighter is designed for prolonged operations. The few available images suggest that the J-36 will have a significant weapons payload capacity, thanks to its large internal bays designed for armament transport.
The projected capabilities of the J-36 would allow the People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) to significantly extend its reach in defensive patrol missions, as well as execute offensive air-to-air and air-to-surface operations with operational or strategic impact, posing a direct threat to enemy rear areas and logistics.
See also: China's “Great Leap Forward” in Combat Aviation: Has the Era of Sixth-Generation Fighters Arrived?
Among the potential targets of the J-36 are warships, airbases, communication systems, and radars in the Pacific island chains, as well as intelligence, command-and-control, and military transport aircraft, which would no longer be safe in the rear under the protection of escort fighters.
Ultimately, the J-36 could act as a force multiplier within the Chinese military structure, allowing the PLAAF to maintain a deterrent presence at long distances from its operational bases with a relatively small number of aircraft, complicating the deployment of opposing forces.
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