China's latest stealth tactical jet

Looks like in all the in-flight photos/videos I've seen, the new Chinese a/c had its gear down and locked. That's fairly common on first/early flight tests as a precaution. It's done to preclude having a new, untested aircraft from being damaged or destroyed in a gear up landing should the gear not extend.

We did the same thing on the first flight of the B-21 late last year.


Source: https://youtu.be/h-78zMu2s6A?si=zvXAwbQy030tbiZa
 
The tailless design is interesting.
The US has been talking about this for years.

FWIW the US has been flying a tailless manned military aircraft since 1989 (the B-2). I know you were referring to the next gen US fighter but it should be pointed out.

Two things really stick out to me...it's big, larger than the J-20 chase plane which is itself very large for a fighter. It also has 3 intakes, which would mean it has 3 engines.

It is possible it is meant for a role more similar to an F-111 (long range interdiction etc).
 
Ok wow....there was apparently the 1st (public) flight of a second Chinese tailless design today.

Second New Chinese Stealth Jet Emerges in the Same Day

After the new supposed regional bomber developed by Chengdu was sighted during its first flight, another design developed by Shenyang has now emerged.


Few hours after the first images of China's new supposed regional stealth bomber surfaced online, a video showing a second design has now appeared. While the first flew from Chengdu Aircraft Corporation's (CAC) headquarters in Chengdu, the second flew from Shenyang Aircraft Corporation's (SAC) facilities.



source: https://theaviationist.com/2024/12/27/second-new-chinese-stealth-jet/
 
FWIW the US has been flying a tailless manned military aircraft since 1989 (the B-2). I know you were referring to the next gen US fighter but it should be pointed out.

Two things really stick out to me...it's big, larger than the J-20 chase plane which is itself very large for a fighter. It also has 3 intakes, which would mean it has 3 engines.

It is possible it is meant for a role more similar to an F-111 (long range interdiction etc).
Three inlets doesn't necessarily mean three engines. Some a/c have auxiliary inlets to allow airflow into engines under certain flight conditions, such as low speed or high AoA. But if the a/c does have three engines, I wonder what Western secret squirrrel propulsion guys make of that? Does it tell them something about the capability of Chinese engines, or lack thereof?

It's certainly big enough to be a long range, interdiction/strike aircraft, but if it is indeed meant to be stealthy, its weapons will have to be carried internally. This cuts down significantly on weapons payload as no munitions are carried externally. Again, the spooks are probably already estimating its internal loadout.

Another mission a long range, steathy strike aircraft could undertake is destruction of all the various combat support aircraft employed by the US. Transports, aerial tankers, command and control, electronic warfare and other such aircraft are huge force multiplers, and are very important considering the vast distances that could be involved in a Pacific War.

We've been able to keep those aircraft safe in recent conflicts, but the Chinese have been rumored to be developing aircraft whose mission is their destruction. A long range, steathy aircraft with a belly full of AAMs would certainly fill the bill. Even a big, not so agile tactical aircraft would make short work of unarmed support aircraft, many based on commercial aircraft designs.
 
Three inlets doesn't necessarily mean three engines. Some a/c have auxiliary inlets to allow airflow into engines under certain flight conditions, such as low speed or high AoA. But if the a/c does have three engines, I wonder what Western secret squirrrel propulsion guys make of that? Does it tell them something about the capability of Chinese engines, or lack thereof?

It's certainly big enough to be a long range, interdiction/strike aircraft, but if it is indeed meant to be stealthy, its weapons will have to be carried internally. This cuts down significantly on weapons payload as no munitions are carried externally. Again, the spooks are probably already estimating its internal loadout.

Another mission a long range, steathy strike aircraft could undertake is destruction of all the various combat support aircraft employed by the US. Transports, aerial tankers, command and control, electronic warfare and other such aircraft are huge force multiplers, and are very important considering the vast distances that could be involved in a Pacific War.

We've been able to keep those aircraft safe in recent conflicts, but the Chinese have been rumored to be developing aircraft whose mission is their destruction. A long range, steathy aircraft with a belly full of AAMs would certainly fill the bill. Even a big, not so agile tactical aircraft would make short work of unarmed support aircraft, many based on commercial aircraft designs.

Just because they have shown these in public does not mean that they have decided to produce them in large numbers. Nations have displayed prototype aircraft, to keep their enemies guessing, then never put them into production. Playing with their enemies minds to encourage them to waste effort building aircraft to counter the ones you never intend to make.
 
Just because they have shown these in public does not mean that they have decided to produce them in large numbers. Nations have displayed prototype aircraft, to keep their enemies guessing, then never put them into production. Playing with their enemies minds to encourage them to waste effort building aircraft to counter the ones you never intend to make.
And it's working as the aviation and military sites are all abuzz, for most of those guys Christmas came a day late. Just plant the seed with carefully scripted/edited video, let others' minds create scenarios that are beneficial to your cause.
 
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