Chinese Sixth Generation Heavyweight Fighter J-36

 The World’s Largest Fighter Plane : China’s J-36 Heavy Stealth Tactical Jet

The J-36 first broke cover last December. Chengdu is understood to be the developer of the J-36, and the aircraft has been observed flying from there on multiple occasions in the past six months. A new image of the largest sixth generation fighter classes developed in China, has provided to date the clearest frontal view of the aircraft, confirming longstanding speculation regarding  a number of its design features. The image was taken at a distance with a long lens, and shows the aircraft with three open ventral weapons bays. These bays between them appear to be able to carry several times the quantities of ordinance internally as the fifth generation fighters such as the F-35 or J-20. The sheer size of the fighter’s nose cone, makes it almost certain that the aircraft also carries a much larger radar than any other fighter in the world. It also appears to show two smaller weapons bays on each side of the larger ones, which may be intended to carry smaller munitions such as the new PL-16 air-to-air missile. There remains a significant possibility that further weapons bays are located elsewhere on the underside of the very large airframe, with some analysts having speculated that they may house rotary weapons racks to carry additional firepower.

A new image appearing to show China’s ‘J-36’ 6th generation tactical jet parked on the ground has emerged online. If legitimate, this would be the best front view of the aircraft to date, notably providing clear proof of the canopy design and further confirmation of a side-by-side seating arrangement. What looks to be three open ventral weapons bays, along with nearby personnel, underscore the design’s large size, something of a hybrid between a very heavy fighter and a tactical bomber. The ability to integrate particularly large internal weapons bays, carry a very large sensor suite, and store far greater quantities of fuel than standard fighter-sized aircraft, are among the primary benefits of developing particularly large fighters. It has been speculated that the American F-47 sixth generation fighter currently under development will be similarly large, although Chinese sixth generation fighter programs are the only ones which have been seen at flight prototype stages. The latest image confirms that the new fighter is a twin seat with a side-by-side cockpit configuration, with the green-tinted reflections from two separate heads-up displays, similar to those seen on the currently operational J-20, J-16, J-10C and JF-17 Block 3 fighters, being clear. The new aircraft’s prototypes may be using avionics developed for the J-20.

Also, perhaps of the highest interest at this stage, is the very strong evidence, based on the open doors that are visible, of the presence of two smaller weapons bays that flank the jet’s large ventral weapons bay. Previous underside views of the J-36 have shown large, molded, outward-hinging doors for the aircraft’s large tandem-wheel main landing gear, as well as two smaller doors for the nose gear bay. Twin seat configurations have long been expected for longer ranged Chinese and American sixth generation fighters, due to a number of aspects of their roles. Despite fast growing levels of automation and the integration of increasingly capable forms of artificial intelligence, the tremendous complexity of the operations which such aircraft will fly is expected to exceed the ability of a single pilot to handle effectively. The aircraft’s expected very long range will also make the ability to share work over a longer period particularly important. The very long range of the new aircraft is considered particularly critical due to the vastness of the Pacific theatre where it will operate, and will allow it to carry out air defence duties and possibly launch strike operations well beyond the First Island Chain. This will significantly complicate U.S.-led Western efforts to project power into the region.

The possibility of additional weapons bays within the J-36’s fuselage to either side of the main bay has been raised in the past, but there has been no clear evidence of that in the past. TWZ has previously highlighted the significant internal volume, overall, that the J-36 clearly has, and the implications thereof. The semi-blended ventral central fuselage area has some similarities with the J-20, notably its weapons bay configuration. While the aircraft clearly has a very large internal volume, putting a bit of a bias on fuel fraction over magazine depth would be a good assumption. A weapons bay somewhat longer, but far deeper than that found on the J-20 would provide ample space for multiple smaller stores and at least a couple of very large ones. A rotary weapons rack seems questionable, but if it is possible, it would only be advantageous for certain weapons load outs featuring numerous, smaller munitions. Additional side bays for air-to-air weaponry, may be possible, although there is no clear evidence of them at this time.

At the Chengdu Aircraft Corporation’s primary facility, where the new aircraft’s direct predecessor the J-20 fifth generation fighter is currently being produced on a large scale, there remains a significant chance that China’s yet unnamed new fighter will be the first of its generation to enter service. The fighter was the first of its generation ever seen flying, with the first images being published in December 2024. The Chinese People’s Liberation Army Air Force is considered likely to begin fielding both aircraft in the early 2030s. The rate at which the preceding J-20 could progress from its first test flight to service entry being well under half the time taken by the rival American F-22 and F-35 fighters - six years rather than fifteen - sets a strong precedent for Chinese sixth generation fighters also having far shorter development times. Responding to the rapid progress which China’s fighter aviation industry has made, the F-47’s primary contractor Boeing has committed the highest level of internal investment in its history to developing the aircraft, with the Pentagon poised to cut funding for the US Navy’s own sixth generation fighter to ensure that sufficient resources are available for the Air Force’s aircraft. While China is set to field two sixth generation fighters in the early 2030s, it remains in serious question whether the US will be able to bring a single one in to service before the middle of the decade.

The two auxiliary bays would be especially useful for air-to-air missiles and smaller guided air-to-surface weapons, which would allow the cavernous central bay to be reserved for larger loads, including outsized standoff weapons. Before this image, there was only speculation and fleeting evidence that these bays might exist, but now it seems quite likely they do. You can also see these bay doors swing outward, precluding them from being related to the aircraft’s main landing gear. In addition, the new head-on image offers another look at the large aperture windows, typically associated with electro-optical/infrared sensors, on either side of the J-36’s nose. We also get an additional view of the lower trapezoidal air inlets on either side of J-36’s cockpit, as well as the dorsal inlet, which are linked to the aircraft’s unique triple-engine configuration. The lower inlets are broadly similar in shape to those found on the US F-22 Raptor stealth fighter. China is known to have been pursuing a ‘regional bomber’ of sorts, sometimes referred to as the JH-XX, at least in the past. It remains unclear whether or not the J-36 is meant to fulfil the JH-XX requirements in any way, or blend them together in some part with a next-generation heavy fighter role.