World’s Longest range Air-to-Air missile

 Integration of world’s longest range Air-to-Air missile with China’s J-10C 

China’s apparent decision to integrate the PL-17 ultra-long-range air-to-air missile onto the lightweight Chengdu J-10C fighter is rapidly emerging as one of the most strategically disruptive airpower developments in the Indo-Pacific since the operational debut of the J-20 stealth fighter. The integration of the PL-17 ultra-long-range missile onto China’s lightweight J-10C fighter could dramatically expand the PLAAF’s ability to target AWACS, tanker and ISR aircraft across the Indo-Pacific battle space. Images circulating across Chinese social media indicating the appearance of the DF-4/3 heavy-duty missile pylon on the J-10C have intensified concerns among Western and Asian defence planners because the adapter is specifically associated with carriage of the PL-17 missile, regarded by analysts as the world’s longest-range operational air-to-air weapon. This has led analysts to widely conclude that J-10C units will very likely also begin to be equipped with PL-17 missiles, which could transform how they are employed. The J-16 and J-10C are fielded a high-low combination of ‘4+ generation’ fighter aircraft, the former a twin engine and the latter a single engine aircraft both powered by the WS-10B powerplant. While both were developed in parallel and are similarly sophisticated, as a significantly smaller fighter J-10C’s much lower weapons carrying capacity, and its far smaller radar and shorter target lock on range, were previously through to have limited its suitability to integrate the PL-17. 

The development potentially transforms hundreds of relatively inexpensive single-engine Chinese fighters into long-range “AWACS-killer” platforms capable of threatening airborne early warning aircraft, tankers and intelligence-surveillance-reconnaissance assets operating hundreds of km's away from contested airspace. It is likely that a primary rationale for equipping the J-10C with the PL-17 is to better market the fighter type for export. It is notable that the first images of the fighter type equipped with the new fighter were released less than a week after the Pakistan Air Force announced plans to procure both further J-10C fighters, and an unmanned new long range missile type which was at the time speculated to be the PL-17. With the Indian Defence Ministry was reported in April to have ordered Russian R-37M air-to-air missiles, a design which is considered a direct counterpart to the PL-17 albeit a less advanced and shorter ranged one, the Pakistan Air Force’s perceived need for the missile may have been influenced by developments seen in the Indian fleet. The strategic implications are amplified by the PLAAF’s large inventory of J-10C fighters because integrating the PL-17 onto a high-volume lightweight platform dramatically expands the geographical scale and persistence of China’s beyond-visual-range interception architecture across the Western Pacific and South Asia. Defence analysts increasingly view the move as part of a broader Chinese doctrine prioritising long-range anti-access and counter-air operations intended to fragment enemy kill chains by targeting critical airborne networking assets rather than focusing solely on opposing fighter aircraft.

The PL-17 missile, reportedly developed by the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology for the PLAAF and the People’s Liberation Army Naval Air Force, first appeared publicly beneath a J-16 fighter in 2016 before reportedly entering operational service between 2022 and 2023. Although the J-10C’s radar is not sufficiently powerful to guide the PL-17 to its target, it is notable that even the J-16, which has been widely assessed to integrate the most powerful radar of any fighter type in the world, is still considered to be unable to guide the extremely long range missile to targets at maximum range. The limitations imposed by the Earth’s curvature are one contributor to this limitation. Thus even the J-16 would under a wide range of conditions rely on targeting data from either fifth generation fighters flying closer to adversary positions using their advanced stealth capabilities, such as the J-20, or on airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) systems with outstandingly large radars like the KJ-500 and KJ-3000. The J-10C will similarly be able to rely on such support to employ such missiles, although it will rely on it more heavily due to the greater limitations of its own onboard sensors. At approximately six metres long, weighing roughly 500 kg's, and capable of speeds exceeding Mach 4, the missile represents a fundamentally different class of air-to-air weapon optimised not for traditional dogfighting but for strategic disruption of airborne command-and-control ecosystems. The integration also signals that the PLAAF may now prioritise distributed long-range interception capability across larger fighter inventories instead of relying exclusively on smaller numbers of heavyweight air-superiority aircraft such as the J-16 or J-20.

By enabling lightweight fighters to engage high-value airborne assets at extreme standoff distances, China is effectively expanding the outer defensive perimeter of its anti-access and area-denial network deep into contested Indo-Pacific air corridors. The emergence of a PL-17-capable J-10C fleet could therefore force regional air forces and the US to reconsider airborne tanker routing, AWACS operating patterns, and forward-deployed ISR survivability during any future high-intensity conflict involving the Western Pacific or Taiwan Strait. It is notable that the PAF has reportedly already used the J-10C under high intensity air-to-air combat conditions closely integrated with other sensor platforms, including its own less advanced AEW&C systems, to guide the fighter’s PL-15 air-to-air missiles to their targets. This was done despite the J-10C’s onboard sensors being sufficiently powerful to effectively guide the PL-15, since AEW&Cs can do so more effectively and while avoiding activating targets’ radar warning receivers. Experience pairing the J-10C with AEW&Cs for weapons guidance, and possibly with other off board sensors such as those from ground-based air defence systems, may have resulted in confidence in the PAF that it can effectively utilise the PL-17 with its J-10C fleet. The fact that the Air Force is also expected to receive J-35 fifth generation fighters, which have optimal capabilities to provide targeting data to J-10Cs from forward positions, is likely to be a further major factor. 

The confirmed appearance of the DF-4/3 heavy missile adapter on the J-10C strongly indicates that the PLAAF has either completed or entered advanced stages of integrating the PL-17 missile onto its lightweight multirole fighter fleet. Until now, the DF-4/3 adapter had been associated almost exclusively with the larger twin-engine J-16 fighter, whose higher payload capacity and aerodynamic endurance made it more suitable for carrying oversized long-range missiles. The J-10C’s transition into a PL-17-capable platform suggests Chinese aerospace engineers have overcome earlier concerns regarding aerodynamic drag, launch kinematics, structural stress and flight performance penalties associated with carrying such a large external missile on a single-engine fighter. Earlier unconfirmed sightings say that what analysts believed was either a PL-17 or DF-4/3-equipped J-10C had generated debate regarding whether the fighter possessed sufficient thrust-to-weight characteristics to employ the missile effectively during high-speed combat manoeuvres. The latest imagery has substantially strengthened the assessment that the integration process has advanced beyond experimental testing into operational preparation or limited frontline deployment. The J-10C and J-16 are currently fielded by the PLAAF as a complementary “high-low” fighter combination in which the heavier J-16 provides larger payload capacity while the cheaper and more agile J-10C offers numerical mass and operational flexibility. Both aircraft are powered by variants of the WS-10B turbofan engine, enabling the PLAAF to streamline logistical support, maintenance cycles and operational sustainment across large fighter inventories. By extending PL-17 capability to the J-10C fleet, China significantly expands the number of aircraft capable of conducting long-range counter-air operations against support aircraft operating deep behind enemy fighter screens.

The development also complicates adversary planning because airborne early warning and tanker aircraft would potentially face engagement risks from multiple dispersed fighter formations rather than isolated heavy interceptors operating predictably near frontline sectors. The first images of the PL-17 emerged in 2016. Its development occurred as Chinese air-to-air missile development increasingly led the world, as widely attested to by US sources after the PL-15 was seen to have comfortably outmatched its counterpart the AIM-120D. The PL-17 is estimated to have a 500 km engagement range, significantly surpassing rival missile types such as the Russian R-37M and US AIM-174. All three of these very long ranged missile types are oversized, meaning they are optimally carried by large fighter or interceptor types like the J-16 or US Air Force F-15, and if carried by lighter fighter types have a significant negative impact on flight performance. The prospect of large numbers of PL-17-equipped J-10Cs entering operational service could significantly alter airpower calculations across the Taiwan Strait, South China Sea, East China Sea and Himalayan sectors bordering India. US and allied airborne early warning aircraft operating near contested zones would potentially require greater standoff distances, reducing radar coverage efficiency and weakening real-time battle space coordination during high-intensity air campaigns. Tanker aircraft supporting long-range fighter operations could similarly face elevated risks because ultra-long-range missile threats compress operational safe zones traditionally assumed secure behind frontline combat formations. The missile’s emergence therefore threatens not only aircraft survivability but also broader operational concepts underpinning expeditionary airpower projection across the Indo-Pacific theatre.

Chinese long-range missile doctrine increasingly appears designed to force adversaries into difficult trade-offs between survivability, operational reach and sensor effectiveness during sustained air operations near Chinese defensive perimeters. The PL-17 also enters service amid intensifying global competition over next-generation beyond-visual-range missile technologies, particularly following growing concerns regarding Chinese missile reach advantages compared with Western equivalents. US AIM-120D is generally estimated to possess operational ranges between 160 to 180 km's, while the AIM-260 Joint Advanced Tactical Missile program has accelerated partly in response to expanding Chinese long-range missile capabilities. Russia’s R-37M missile similarly represents a long-range interception weapon with estimated engagement ranges approaching 300 to 400 km's, although analysts continue debating real-world operational effectiveness under combat conditions. The PL-17’s emergence therefore reinforces perceptions that China is aggressively pursuing asymmetrical long-range interception capabilities intended to offset advantages traditionally enjoyed by Western airpower networks. Unlike conventional medium-range air-to-air missiles such as the AIM-120D or PL-15, the PL-17 appears specifically engineered to destroy high-value airborne assets. The missile’s estimated range of between 300 to 500 km's allows Chinese fighters theoretically to threaten AWACS aircraft, tanker formations, maritime patrol aircraft and ISR platforms operating far from contested airspace. Such assets are essential because they provide long-range radar coverage, electronic warfare coordination, fuel extension, targeting support and tactical battle space management for modern air operations conducted by the US and others.

The missile reportedly uses a dual-pulse solid-propellant rocket motor enabling lofted high-altitude trajectories designed to maximise kinetic energy retention and terminal interception performance at extreme distances. Its guidance package is believed to combine inertial navigation, satellite-assisted positioning, mid-course datalink updates and a multimode terminal seeker incorporating active AESA radar and passive anti-radiation homing functionality against radar-emitting targets. Some assessments also indicate the missile may incorporate infrared or optical terminal guidance systems intended to improve survivability against electronic warfare countermeasures and enhance endgame target discrimination. The PL-17’s unusually large dimensions prevent internal carriage aboard stealth fighters such as the J-20 or J-35, forcing external carriage which increases radar signature and aerodynamic drag but preserves unprecedented engagement reach. Chinese doctrine appears willing to accept those trade-offs because the missile’s primary targets are slower, less manoeuvrable support aircraft whose destruction could collapse opposing airpower coordination across entire operational theatres. This doctrinal approach mirrors broader Chinese anti-access and area-denial strategies focused on degrading enabling infrastructure rather than merely contesting tactical fighter engagements at close range.

The development has generated intense interest in South Asia because PAF already operates the export J-10CE fighter variant equipped with PL-15 beyond-visual-range missiles. Any future export version of the PL-17 would represent a substantial expansion in PAF long-range interception capability against large airborne targets operating near contested regional air corridors. Such a capability would carry significant implications during potential high-intensity conflicts involving IAF airborne early warning platforms or aerial refuelling assets supporting deep strike operations. Discussions surrounding possible PL-17 export integration have intensified across regional defence circles because the missile’s range profile would substantially complicate IAF protection requirements for airborne support aircraft. PAF growing integration with Chinese aerospace ecosystems also increases the probability that future Chinese air combat doctrines, missile technologies and sensor architectures could gradually diffuse into South Asian operational planning. This evolution reflects broader trends in China-Pakistan defence cooperation involving combat aircraft, missile systems, radar technologies and integrated network-centric warfare concepts. Regional analysts therefore continue distinguishing between confirmed PLAAF integration activities and speculative export discussions circulating across defence-oriented social media ecosystems. Nevertheless, even the possibility of future export integration introduces additional uncertainty into regional force planning.

Despite growing attention surrounding the PL-17, several operational variables continue limiting definitive assessments regarding its real-world combat effectiveness under contested wartime conditions. The missile’s effectiveness would likely rely extensively on off board targeting support from platforms such as the KJ-500 airborne early warning aircraft, future KJ-3000 systems, or stealth fighters including the J-20 providing forward sensor fusion coverage. Without persistent high-quality mid-course targeting updates, ultra-long-range missiles risk losing target track continuity against manoeuvring aircraft operating within dense electronic warfare environments. External carriage of the PL-17 aboard the J-10C also imposes aerodynamic penalties which may reduce the fighter’s range, acceleration, agility and survivability during high-threat combat missions. The missile’s sheer size additionally limits the number of weapons a lightweight fighter can realistically carry while retaining sufficient fuel and manoeuvring performance. Modern airborne support aircraft are also increasingly equipped with advanced electronic warfare suites, decoys, escort fighters and evasive operating procedures designed specifically to counter long-range missile threats. Consequently, the PL-17 should be viewed less as a guaranteed “silver bullet” weapon and more as a strategic pressure tool capable of forcing adversaries into less efficient operational postures. Unconfirmed reports indicate that the new Chinese missile can benefit from satellite course correction via data link, much as new generations of Chinese surface-to-air missiles currently under development can, and that it uses dual infrared and radar terminal seekers. Even with those caveats, the apparent integration of the PL-17 onto the J-10C nevertheless represents a major milestone in China’s long-term effort to reshape the geometry of air combat by extending lethal engagement zones far beyond traditional fighter-versus-fighter confrontation distances around.

New solar panel technology trends

 Development of the most powerful solar panels, technology takes a giant leap 

 

Solar panel technology is undergoing a rapid, disruptive evolution, pushing boundaries in efficiency, materials and integration. Improvements in cell performance, the use of novel materials like perovskites, and flexible, adaptable designs are fundamentally transforming how solar energy is generated and deployed. These advances are making solar technology more powerful, affordable and versatile, accelerating the adoption of solar energy technology across residential, commercial and utility-scale projects. Solar panels built in an industrial format have reached a new performance threshold, combining record efficiency with unprecedented power output in a single, utility-scale design. The advance reframes how much electricity modern panels can realistically deliver without expanding their footprint or changing how solar farms are built. Solar panel efficiency has seen remarkable advancements over the past two to three decades. In the early days, solar panels had a conversion efficiency of around 10%, meaning they could only convert about a tenth of the sunlight they captured into usable electricity. However, solar panel efficiency rates have increased dramatically thanks to continuous solar research, development and technological breakthroughs.

Today, the latest solar panel technology advancements have led to panels achieving conversion efficiencies of over 20%, with some even reaching 25%. This means that solar PV systems can now convert nearly a quarter of the sunlight they capture into clean, renewable energy. These advancements continue to improve solar power’s efficiency and viability as a sustainable energy source. These advancements continue to improve solar power’s efficiency and viability as a sustainable energy source. In early 2025, a new world record was set for solar conversion efficiency in n-type fully passivated heterojunction (HJT) solar modules, reaching 25.44%. This breakthrough highlights how the latest solar panel technology continues to push performance boundaries, helping reduce system size, cost/watt and installation space, especially in high-demand or space-limited applications. Higher efficiencies make solar energy a more viable and attractive option for homeowners, businesses, and entire cities, and reduce the space required for solar panels, allowing for greater electricity production from the same amount of sunlight. This increased efficiency has driven down the cost of solar power, making it more accessible to a broader audience and contributing to the widespread adoption of solar energy worldwide. 

As the cost of solar panels has significantly decreased over the past few decades, finding ways to reduce solar panel manufacturing costs further has become increasingly challenging. However, the affordability of solar modules is crucial for their widespread adoption. Today, nearly all solar panels are made from silicon. Thus, perovskite solar cells have emerged as a promising new solar panel technology due to their low production costs and high efficiency. Perovskites are a family of semiconductor materials with a specific crystal structure, named after the mineral perovskite. They can absorb a wide spectrum of sunlight, including both visible and near-infrared wavelengths, making them exceptionally good at converting sunlight into electricity. These properties give perovskites a significant edge in terms of performance potential. What sets this new solar technology apart is its simple, low-temperature manufacturing process. Unlike silicon, which requires energy-intensive purification and processing, perovskite solar cells can be fabricated using inexpensive materials and solution-based coating methods, offering a path toward high-volume, low-cost production. Coating a smooth perovskite film across a large silicon wafer demanded tight control over chemistry, temperature and drying speed. Tiny pinholes triggered recombination, where electrons and holes cancel before reaching the wires. This reduces voltage and lowers final power output. As the coated area grew, each extra square inch raised the odds of a flaw, and factory yield started to dominate cost. 

Certified testing captured the result in full-sized hardware rather than laboratory miniatures, with both the cell and the finished module performing at levels not previously verified together. Engineers ensured the outcome by translating advanced light-absorbing materials into devices which are compatible with factory-scale production. The effort, led by Dr. Yifeng Chen, showed that gains once limited to experimental prototypes could be sustained when scaled to formats used in real-world solar panel projects. Even so, the result defined a technical ceiling rather than a finished product, pointing directly to the durability and integration challenges that still lie ahead. In this design, perovskite, a crystal-like semiconductor made from simple salts, sat on top and absorbed the highest-energy portion of incoming light. Engineers call the stack a tandem solar cell, meaning two light-capturing layers wired together to deliver power through a single circuit. “We are pleased to announce two new world records in perovskite/crystalline silicon tandem solar technology through the effective collaboration,” said Chen. This pairing raised efficiency by cutting energy losses which normally turn into heat, yet it demanded a tight balance between the two layers.

One of the most exciting innovations in solar panel technology is the perovskite-silicon tandem solar cell. This hybrid design layers a perovskite cell on top of a conventional silicon cell, allowing each material to absorb different parts of the solar spectrum. Silicon captures long wavelengths, while perovskite captures shorter ones, together delivering much higher conversion efficiencies than silicon alone. These tandem cells represent a major leap in the latest solar panel technology, as they’re beginning to exceed the practical efficiency limits of silicon-only modules. LONGi Solar announced that its perovskite-silicon tandem solar cell hit an efficiency of 26.81%, a record-breaking milestone for this category of new solar panel technology. In the US, researchers at the University of Colorado Boulder developed a new method for manufacturing perovskite cells using a technique which improves uniformity and performance consistency. This could be key to scaling production for commercial use. Earlier startups and major manufacturers around the world, including Oxford PV, Saule Technologies, and Tandem PV, are racing to commercialize these next-gen solar cells, with pilot lines already producing early-stage modules. Project developers judge solar tech by delivered watts/panel, because every extra panel adds hauling, wiring and labor. Module output dropped when electric current met resistance in metal ribbons, pushing designers to shorten pathways and use thicker conductors. Half-cut cells helped by lowering current in each strip, which reduced heating and kept the panel closer to its rated output. Bigger solar panels also faced stricter limits on weight, wind loads and shipping damage, so mechanical design mattered as much as wiring.

The boundary where perovskite met silicon decided how much charge was lost before it ever reached the metal contacts. Teams used passivation, treating a surface to stop charge leaks, plus thin transport layers which guided electrons and holes. The helper layers had to stay stable under bright light and heat, and they had to fit existing production equipment. Materials advances from research partners could improve that interface, but mass production still required tight control of every coating step. Outdoor survival mattered because perovskite layers could change under heat, moisture and strong sunlight, even when initial efficiency looked high. In many recipes, ion migration, where charged atoms drift through the crystal under stress, slowly warped the internal electric fields which move charge. An earlier review warned that mobile ions and outside stress could make perovskite modules unreliable without extra protection. Better sealing and careful material choices could slow that damage, but years of field data were needed before wide deployment.

Record claims started with careful measurement, because a small temperature swing or uneven lighting could change the reported efficiency. The Solar Cell Efficiency Tables listed only results confirmed by recognized test centers which followed strict area rules. Certification made numbers comparable across companies, but it did not predict how a panel would perform after years of outdoor stress. Solar panel manufacturers chased record results because top silicon designs neared practical limits, and higher efficiency promised a new cost advantage. Many teams checked the National Renewable Energy Laboratory efficiency chart, which compiled only performance figures confirmed by independent test labs. In April 2025, Longi reported a 34.85% perovskite-silicon tandem cell, showing that lab efficiency records kept climbing fast. The contest rewarded quick gains, yet it also risked downplaying the slower work of durability testing and manufacturing scale. Utilities and big buyers demand long warranties, predictable degradation rates, and clear supply plans before they will order new solar panel types. QC had to meet weak links, because a single defect could grow under stress and knock down whole strings. Long-term success also depended on encapsulation, sealing the stack to block water and oxygen, plus adhesives that stayed flexible in heat. Until companies produced multi-year field results at scale, record prototypes were likely to remain limited to pilots and early adopters.

Together, the certified results and supporting science pointed to a realistic path for boosting power output without needing more sunlight. The next barrier was proving that stacked devices stayed stable and affordable across factories, seasons and decades of service life. Despite its promise, perovskite-based solar panel technology faces some hurdles. The primary concerns are:-

Long-term stability: Perovskite materials can degrade when exposed to moisture, UV light, and heat.

Scalability: Transitioning from lab-scale efficiencies to consistent, high-yield manufacturing is complex.

If successful, perovskite solar cells could become a cornerstone of new solar technology, offering higher performance at a lower cost, especially important in markets looking to scale residential, commercial, and utility-scale solar projects. By incorporating smart new solar panel technologies, the efficiency and lifespan of solar PV arrays are significantly boosted. This advancement promotes a more proactive and responsive method of generating solar electricity, laying the groundwork for a smarter new solar panel technology and interconnected energy infrastructure with improved performance and sustainability. With ongoing advancements, the deployment of smart solar panels holds great potential in driving the widespread adoption of renewable energy and accelerating the use of solar photovoltaic technology.

As solar PV module technology evolves, renewable energy feasibility is rapidly increasing. Through enhanced efficiency, the integration of smart technologies, and advancements in materials and design, solar power is becoming an increasingly accessible and versatile energy source. The latest solar panel technology advancements are reshaping how we think about energy and its role in modern life, positioning solar power as an essential part of the future of sustainable energy. As the adoption of new solar panel technology accelerates, managing end-of-life solar modules is becoming increasingly important. This also reflects a growing global focus on sustainability in new solar technology, from design through end-of-life management, ensuring that solar solutions remain environmentally responsible across their full lifecycle.

Secret magnetic behaviours of light

 Discovery of the secret magnetic behaviours of Light after nearly 200 years

New research shows that light’s magnetic field is far more influential than scientists once believed. The team found that this magnetic component significantly affects how light rotates as it passes through certain materials. Their work challenges a 180-year-old understanding of the Faraday Effect and opens pathways to new optical and magnetic technologies. This discovery goes against nearly two centuries of scientific assumptions. In 1845, Michael Faraday discovered what’s known today as the Faraday Effect, which describes how light and electromagnetism are related. This new study revealed that the magnetic component of light exerts a surprising influence on matter, affecting 17% of atomic spin in the visible spectrum and up to 75% in the infrared. This re-examination of the magnetic effect of light on matter could open up new possibilities for scientists to manipulate atomic spins, creating new forms of storage and sensor technologies.

Scientists have discovered that the magnetic portion of light helps twist and influence matter in ways once thought impossible. This breakthrough reshapes our basic understanding of the Faraday Effect and could spark innovations in optics and spin-based computing. In the scientific history of the exploration of electricity and light, some pretty big names come to mind: Newton, Franklin, Maxwell, Edison and Tesla, among others. However, in the world of electromagnetism, few names are quite as influential as Michael Faraday. Born to a poor family, Faraday became a self-taught scientist and eventually the protégé of British chemist and inventor Humphrey Davy. His discoveries of electromagnetic induction (the basic principle behind all modern turbines) and the Faraday Effect (which describes how electromagnetism and light are related) eventually earned him a knighthood, which he promptly turned down, wanting to remain “plain Mr. Faraday to the end.” Researchers at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem have found that the magnetic component of light plays a direct part in the Faraday Effect, overturning a 180-year belief that only light's electric field was involved. Their work shows that light can exert magnetic influence on matter, not simply illuminate it. This insight could support advances in optics, spintronics and emerging quantum technologies.

Although electromagnetic induction is the foundation of industry, the Faraday Effect has an equally profound impact on physics. In 1845, Faraday designed an experiment with a light source, a system of polarizers and electromagnets. When light travelled through the two polarizers, quite expectedly, Faraday saw no light emitted at the other side. However, under the influence of the electromagnets, Faraday saw a “minuscule but indistinguishable” flicker of light, confirming that electromagnetism exhibits some influence on the electric field of light. Now scientists are still discovering new properties of this interplay between light and magnetism. In a new study, physicists Benjamin Assouline and Amir Capua announce the finding that light can exhibit a magnetic influence in addition to an electric one. Specifically, this magnetic influence interacts with atomic spins, a process once assumed to be too insignificant to be of any importance. “The static magnetic field ‘twists’ the light, and the light, in turn, reveals the magnetic properties of the material,” Capua said. “What we’ve found is that the magnetic part of light has a first-order effect, it’s surprisingly active in this process.”

The team's findings show that the magnetic portion of light, not only its electric one, has a meaningful and measurable influence on how light interacts with materials. This result contradicts a scientific explanation that has shaped the understanding of the Faraday Effect. Using the Landau-Lifshitz-Gilbert (LLG) equation, which typically describes spin behaviour in materials, Assouline and Capua demonstrated how light can create “magnetic torque” that is actually similar to a static magnetic field. When applying this theoretical model to Terbium Gallium Garnet (TGG), a material commonly used to test the Faraday Effect, the magnetic component of light accounted for 17% of atomic rotation in the visible spectrum. In the infrared (with a wavelength up to 1,300 nanometers), that number jumped to a staggering 75%. “Our results show that light ‘talks’ to matter not only through its electric field, but also through its magnetic field, a component that has been largely overlooked until now,’ Assouline said. "In simple terms, it's an interaction between light and magnetism," says Dr. Capua. "The static magnetic field 'twists' the light, and the light, in turn, reveals the magnetic properties of the material. What we've found is that the magnetic part of light has a first-order effect, it's surprisingly active in this process."

For nearly two centuries, scientists attributed the Faraday Effect solely to the electric field of light interacting with electric charges in matter. The new study shows that the magnetic field of light also plays a direct role by interacting with atomic spins, a contribution long assumed to be insignificant. According to Igor Rozhansky, a physicist at the University of Manchester who spoke with New Scientist, a re-evaluation of the magnetic component of light could give scientists a new way to manipulate atomic spins, though it’s uncertain how strong this effect will be in certain materials. Such fine-tuned manipulation, could lead to a new generation of spin-based sensors and hard drives. Using advanced calculations informed by the Landau-Lifshitz-Gilbert (LLG) equation, which describes how spins behave in magnetic materials, the researchers demonstrated that light's magnetic field can generate magnetic torque within a material in a manner similar to a static magnetic field. Capua explains, "In other words, light doesn't just illuminate matter, it magnetically influences it." To measure the extent of that influence, the team applied their theoretical model to Terbium Gallium Garnet (TGG), a crystal commonly used to study the Faraday Effect. 

Faraday’s experimental foray into the world of electromagnetism eventually inspired James Clerk Maxwell’s famous equations that, effectively, laid the foundation of our modern technological society. But even 180 years after one of Faraday’s most famous observations, it turns out there’s still a lot more to learn. The study, led by Dr. Amir Capua and Benjamin Assouline of the university's Institute of Electrical Engineering and Applied Physics, offers the first theoretical evidence that the oscillating magnetic field of light contributes directly to the Faraday Effect. This effect describes how the polarization of light rotates as it travels through a material placed in a constant magnetic field. The researchers note that this revised understanding of light's magnetic behaviour could open doors for innovations in optical data storage, spintronics and magnetic control using light. The work may also contribute to future developments in spin-based quantum computing.

Boeing’s F-47 sixth-generation fighter

 US official declares F-47 sixth-gen fighter scheduled to fly in 2028 as production begins 

Boeing’s developmental sixth-generation F-47 fighter will take to the skies in 2028. US Secretary of the Air Force wishes China good luck in gleaning useful intel about fighter from image released. US President said the F-47’s experimental X-planes had been tested in secret over the past five years, with the first flight reportedly occurring in 2019. The US has started manufacturing its F-47 sixth-generation fighter jet and plans for it to be flying in 2028, a senior US Air Force official announced, three weeks after China showcased its new fighter jets during its Victory Day military parade. During his keynote address at the 2025 Air, Space and Cyber Conference, US Air Force Chief of Staff General David Allvin said Boeing had started production of the F-47. The airframe was selected to deliver the USA’s first-ever sixth-generation fighter soon, beating out Lockheed Martin in the US Air Force’s (USAF’s) Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) competition. Since then, scant details have emerged about the highly classified programme other than a few renderings, which deliberately reveal very little about the new manned fighter. However, the USAF’s top officer now confirms that assembly work is already underway on the initial F-47 example, with a first flight planned three years from now.

US announced that Boeing would make the jets to replace the F-22 fighters under the Air Force’s Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) programme. The new sixth-generation fighter jet would “ensure dominance into the future”, along with other components of the NGAD system “after years of work, hundreds of test hours, thousands of man-years in the lab”. “We [have] got to go fast. I got to tell you, team, it’s almost 2026. The team is committed to get the first one flying in 2028,” Allvin said. “In the few short months since we made the announcement, they [Boeing] are already beginning to manufacture the first article.” The US Air Force has previously said that the F-47 was expected to make its maiden flight before the end of Trump’s term of office, which ends in January 2029. While graphics released by the US Air Force and Boeing suggest it has a tailless design with a combat radius exceeding 1,000 nautical miles (1,850km) and a speed exceeding Mach 2, the F-47’s specific design and other details are highly classified. “I expect some of the Chinese intel analysts are spending a lot of time looking at this picture. Good luck trying to dig something out of there. Pretty careful about that,” US Secretary of the Air Force said. When he announced Boeing’s selection as the winner of the Next Generation Air Dominance contract, David Allvin revealed that two competitive prototypes had been secretly flying for five years, accruing “hundreds of hours” of flight time. Boeing is likely able to progress that fast because the company has already been flying an experimental F-47 concept for several years.

The previously unacknowledged test campaign included the development of new technologies and the evaluation of concepts for employing the experimental sixth-generation designs. Boeing is also well positioned to rapidly scale-up production of the new jet. In recent years the airframe has invested nearly $2 billion in a classified production facility in St. Louis, Missouri intended to support unspecified “future combat aircraft programmes”. Although not specifically tied to the NGAD programme, the massive investment was widely seen as intended to help Boeing secure the USAF sixth-generation development contract which has now become the F-47. The fighters are expected to feature improved stealth, weapons, avionics and hypersonic capabilities. They are also expected to incorporate artificial intelligence and quantum computing, as well as manned-unmanned teaming for drones to fly alongside them, known as collaborative combat aircraft (CCA). Two designs have been selected for the CCA programme by the US Air Force: Anduril’s YFQ-44A, also known as “Fury”; and General Atomics’ YFQ-42A. The Fury is expected to make its first flight soon. 

Allvin’s announcement came as the US and China are racing for air superiority. Speaking at the annual Air & Space Forces Association (AFA) conference near Washington, DC, Allvin revealed video footage of Boeing chief executive Kelly Ortberg announcing the F-47 win to Boeing workers arrayed before him on an unspecified factory floor in St. Louis. Boeing assembles all of its tactical aircraft in the greater St. Louis area, including the F-15EX, F/A-18E/F, and EA-18G fighters, the T-7A trainer jet, and the MQ-25 autonomous refueller. The classified aircraft production site is located in that same complex, which also houses the headquarters of Boeing Defense, Space & Security. SCMP Plus is a new premium news platform that gives you an all-inclusive edge to stay ahead of China. On 3 Sep, during the military parade celebrating the 80th anniversary of Japan’s defeat in World War II, China unveiled its own carrier-based fighter jets. Very little is concretely known about the F-47 or the USAF’s concept for integrating sixth-generation aircraft into its existing fleet, other than the new design will fill an air superiority role. Despite that lofty price tag, the Pentagon and administration of President Donald Trump say they are “all in” on the F-47, potentially at the expense of the US Navy’s less mature sixth-generation development effort. “We did make a strategic decision to go all-in on F-47,” one Pentagon official said earlier. Service leaders have long positioned the NGAD jet as the nucleus of a “family of systems” which includes legions of uncrewed support platforms known as Collaborative Combat Aircraft.

Unlike the USAF’s current air superiority fighter, the fifth-generation Lockheed F-22, the F-47 is not expected to be a pure dogfighter, but will combine the latest stealth technology with advanced threat sensors to command and control the fight for air superiority. Senior USAF officials have previously stated that each frontline NGAD aircraft is expected to cost on the order of multiple Lockheed F-35s, with a likely price tag of around $200 million per aircraft. Speaking at the AFA event, Allvin affirmed the USAF plans to move quickly on fielding the new jet. These included new variants of the J-15 series, such as the J-15T, which is equipped to work with an electromagnetic catapult launch system, as well as the upgraded J-15DH and J-15DT electronic warfare aircraft. The event also showcased the J-35, China’s second fifth-generation fighter jet, which will be based on the country’s latest aircraft carrier, the Fujian. As per the reports available, the J-15T, the J-35 and the carrier-based KJ-600 early warning and control aircraft had completed catapult launch and landing tests on the Fujian. China has reportedly been developing its sixth-generation fighter jets. Photos and videos which have circulated online suggest that two types of advanced fighters, dubbed the J-36 and the J-50, feature three engines and a tailless design.

J-35A Stealth Fighter

China’s J-35A Air Force Stealth Fighter

China's J-35A stealth fighter jet displayed along with anti-radiation missile at Changchun Air Show. A scale model of the J-35A stealth fighter jet was on display together with several types of missiles at the booth of the Aviation Industry Corporation of China during the Air Force Open-day Activities and Changchun Air Show in Changchun, Northeast China's Jilin Province recently. This suggested that the J-35A could potentially carry out electronic warfare missions and strike hostile radar sites, an expert said. China’s J-35A stealth fighter is the land-based cousin of the carrier-oriented J-35, both rooted in Shenyang’s FC-31 lineage. Following are the some of the important points:-

Compared with the F-35, China is equally matching the software maturity, mission-system fusion and sustainment scale, kinematics and stealth margins.

Beijing wanted it to complement the heavier J-20: a more numerous, medium-weight, low-observable fighter which plugs into PLA kill chains and deter US and allied airpower.

Public debuts and test imagery since late 2024 show a twin-engine, EOTS-equipped airframe with internal weapons bays and next-gen sensors; official performance data remain sparse.

The J-35A didn’t start life as a centrally anointed flagship. A decade ago, Shenyang’s FC-31/J-31 appeared as a largely company-driven prototype, a hedge on future export sales and a potential domestic slot if Beijing ever wanted a lighter stealth fighter alongside the heavyweight J-20. The airframe evolved in fits and starts: new intakes, revised platform, reworked canopy and bays. Then the Chinese navy’s carrier ambitions crystallized, and Shenyang spun a navalized variant toward catapult operations. That carrier path (today’s J-35) gave the design family a customer and a mission. Alongside air-to-air missiles such as the PL-10E, PL-15E and PL-12AE, the LD-8A anti-radiation missile was also featured in the exhibition of the J-35A's arsenal. If you already fly the J-20, why add another stealth fighter? The logic is force-design, not vanity. The J-20 is a big, long-range thoroughbred with a premium radar and growing engine power. It is also expensive. The PLAAF doesn’t just need long-range interceptors; it needs a multi-role stealth fighter which can hunt aircraft and cruise missiles, escort high-value assets, and work near contested coastlines where fuel, maintenance and runway considerations favour a smaller airframe.  A medium-weight, twin-engine stealth jet offers more tails on ramps and more sorties in less expensive mode, which matters for a military planning to fight under a dense umbrella of surface-to-air missiles, long-range radar, and data linked shooters. There’s a political layer: fielding two different stealth fighters puts China in a club previously occupied by US. Even if raw capability isn’t parity, the optics shape regional perceptions and procurement debates from Tokyo to Taipei to Canberra. Chinese sources have framed the J-35A as a “kill-chain” fighter, an aircraft which not only shoots, but also discovers, classifies and cues other weapons. Think counter-stealth surveillance of inbound threats, networked targeting for ground and maritime strikes, and cooperative engagements with SAMs, ships, and other aircraft. In other words, less lone-wolf, more quarterback.

Wang Ya'nan, chief editor of Beijing-based Aerospace Knowledge magazine, explained that an anti-radiation missile is a type of weapon which specifically targets radar installations, which radiates electromagnetic waves. Anti-radiation missiles can track and destroy the radiation source, but the use of anti-radiation missiles often requires electronic warfare aircraft with powerful sensors to detect the radiation source first. The J-35A is the land-based fork of that story, tweaked for PLAAF needs instead of catapult decks: different nose gear, wing geometry, vertical tails and avionics/software tuned for air-force operations. Public showings in late 2024 offered the first close look at a jet which had long been rumoured but rarely seen; since then, appearances and official hints have filled in outlines without surrendering hard numbers. This is deliberate. China’s aviation complex has learned to reveal just enough, shape, role and theatre, while keeping performance and software detail behind the curtain. Stealth is the hardest piece to judge from photos. A clean platform is necessary, not sufficient. Materials, coatings, panel fit and seal management at tempo are where programs are exposed. Here China is improving, each generation of Chinese stealth jets shows tighter manufacturing tolerances and more sophisticated surface treatments than the last.

The side-by-side display of the J-35A and the anti-radiation missile suggested that the J-35A could have a dedicated electronic warfare variant, or the J-35A can work together with electronic warfare aircraft in electronic warfare missions. Seen up close, the J-35A presents a modern stealth silhouette: internal bays, a blended fore body, canted tails, edge alignment, serrated access panels and a chin-mounted electro-optical/IR turret broadly analogous in placement to the F-35’s EOTS. The naval sibling features folding wings and a catapult launch bar, while the air force J-35A omits these, adopting a single-wheel nose gear and a smaller wing for improved land-based performance. China's plans to use it includes different roles. In this ecosystem, a medium-weight stealth fighter can play three following complementary roles:-

Carrying a small internal load for time-sensitive targets while acting as a sensing node that enables long-range fires from ships, coastal batteries or other aircraft.

Hunting low-observable aircraft and cruise missiles that slip past the outer belt, using high-gain radar modes, IR sensors, and data linked tracks from ground and airborne partners.

Flying cover for tankers, AEW&C, and bombers with less penalty to numbers than tasking the heavier J-20 for every sortie.

Because the PLAAF favours mass and persistence, a “good-enough, numerous” stealth fighter paired with a smaller but exquisite J-20 cadre makes strategic sense. The J-35A is the mass half of that equation. Because the J-35A is new, its track record comes mostly in glimpses: taxi runs, short flight demos and tightly curated media moments at Zhuhai; satellite and telephoto proofs of additional prototypes; and quotes from Chinese engineers sketching how the jet would fit a counter-stealth, networked air-defence concept. Western trade press and wire services corroborate the basics: the public debut timeline, the split between carrier and land variants, and China’s intent to field the type in meaningful numbers. What we still don’t have is the real data which make or break a fleet: mission-capable rates, software stability in the field, sensor fusion quirks and the bruises that come from large-force exercises. The trend surface years after a type enters regular service. Until then, the best reading is that the J-35A is transitioning from prototypes to initial units, while the carrier variant feeds the navy’s air wing ambitions. Expect months (and likely years) of iterative updates to radar modes, EW techniques, and data link behaviour before anyone can call the jet “mature.”

Imagery and reporting suggest continuing propulsion work, from interim engines in early prototypes to an indigenous WS-19-class path for production, but definitive thrust ratings, fuel fractions and radar aperture sizes remain guarded. Engines are the long pole in every fifth-gen tent. Reporting points to a pathway toward a WS-19-class power plant for the air-force variant and WS-21/WS-13-series work for prototypes. If those engines deliver reliable thrust and thermal margins, Beijing can field the J-35A in useful quantities even if peak performance trails Western benchmarks. Likewise, weapons fit will lean on China’s modern air-to-air missiles, notably PL-15-class beyond-visual-range rounds and PL-10-class high-off-bore sight weapons, carried internally to preserve signature. Precision surface attack from the bays would round out the role set. A stealth fighter that is good enough to fuse, good enough to hide, and cheap enough to field in numbers is dangerous in a region where the distances are long and the timelines are short.

The LD-8A anti-radiation missile displayed at the air show has a similar design to the PL-15E air-to-air missile, including their size and aerodynamic shape. Against the F-22, the comparison tilts toward kinematics and signature. The Raptor’s supercruise, thrust-vectoring, and extreme emphasis on front-aspect stealth were designed for air dominance against peer fighters and dense SAM belts. If a fight devolves to energy manoeuvring, the F-22 holds the cards. Where the J-35A could complicate a Raptor’s day is numbers, networking, and angles, arriving from unexpected vectors with long-range missiles cued by off board sensors, or acting as silent spotters which force Raptors to defend instead of dictate. In practice, a future US–China air battle would be larger than any two types: F-35s, F-15EXs, EA-18Gs, E-7s, MQ-25s, submarines, and surface shooters on one side; J-20s, J-35As, KJ-500s, H-6 variants, unmanned decoys, and layered SAMs on the other. The J-35A makes that Chinese web tighter. It does not make the F-22 obsolete.

LD-8A anti-radiation missile could be a variant of the PL-15 series missile with an alternate seeker that receives and tracks a specific electromagnetic wave frequency. Based on the PL-15 platform and judging from the China's capabilities in electronic industry, this type of missile should be at a world-leading level. The F-35 is the wrong yardstick in one way and the right one in another. On paper the airframes rhyme, internal bays, stealth shaping, a chin EO sensor, and emphasis on networking. Where the F-35 differentiates itself is less aerodynamic than informatic: thousands of jets, millions of flight hours, decade-plus of software sprints, and a sustainment ecosystem that, despite its headaches, supports a vast, multinational fleet. The sensor fusion story is crucial. It’s not just the radar or EOTS; it’s how tracks from every sensor and partner become a single, stable picture across a four-ship, a squadron, and a strike package. China can and will write powerful code, but software maturity is earned at scale with brutal feedback from exercises, deployments and coalition ops. Training pipelines, tactics development, EW libraries, mission-data reprogramming, and secure data links are where fifth-gen lives day-to-day. If the J-35A is to rival the F-35 in effect, the gap to close is less about wing loading and more about firmware. On the other hand, stealth jets are maintenance-intensive; coatings and panel alignment don’t survive sloppy processes. The F-35 community has spent years learning how to keep low observability intact on rainy tarmacs with crews rotating at odd hours. The PLAAF can replicate much of this, but it will take time, and the learning curve will be steep and public. A few markers will tell you whether the J-35A is maturing:-

Trade-press notes about new radar modes, EW updates and mission-data reprogramming pipelines mean the software machine is spinning.

When production jets fly with stable indigenous engines across climates and tempos, the program has cleared a major hurdle.

A visible division of labour with the carrier-borne J-35 and shared tactics across services, would show a mature joint concept, not just parallel procurement.

Imagery of multiple aircraft at the same base, repeated appearances in large-force exercises, and hints of adversary training against the type signal confidence. 

The J-35A isn’t a clone of the F-35 or a peer to the F-22. It doesn’t need to be. It needs to be available, survivable, and networked, and put in enough numbers to force US and allied planners to assume stealth opponents at scale. On that score, China’s decision to adopt a second stealth type looks coherent: the J-20 remains the long-reach spear, while the J-35A becomes the everyday stealth fighter that improves air defences, escorts critical assets and quietly sets up shots for others. The open questions are the important ones: engines, software maturity, sustainment discipline, and training at scale. If Beijing closes those gaps, the J-35A won’t just be a headline jet at air shows; it will be the plane which makes the air picture noisier, the targeting chains faster and the margin for error narrower from the Yellow Sea to the Philippine Sea. It also matters for rivals around the world.

'full-spectrum' 6G chip developed

 Scientists develop 'full-spectrum' 6G chip capable of transferring data at 100 gigabits / second 

Researchers have developed a 6G chip which uses a dual electro-photonic approach to send signals across nine radio-frequency bands. Current devices lack the components needed to tap into different radio frequency bands. Scientists in the United States and China have developed a full-spectrum 6G chip capable of transferring data at 100 gigabits per second. A tiny 6G chip which could make slow and unreliable data speeds in the countryside a thing of the past, and it's hundreds of times faster than your smartphone's current download speeds. 5G is the current gold standard for wireless communications, and it typically uses frequencies below 6 gigahertz, although this varies from country to country. The top-performing cellular network in the US in the first half of 2025 offered a 5G download speed of 299.36 megabits per seconds.

The 6G chip which uses a dual electro-photonic approach to send signals across nine radio-frequency bands is projected to be 10,000 times faster than 5G. The devices will need to be re-engineered. Current devices lack the components needed to tap into different radio frequency bands. 6G, which experts say will be ready in 2030, is expected to use multiple frequency bands and has the potential to be 10,000 times faster than 5G. The trouble with tapping into 6G, however, is that devices will need multiple components to tap into the different radio-frequency bands, something which modern devices lack. Scientists use quantum machine learning to create semiconductors for the first time, and it could transform how chips are made. Researchers have integrated the entire wireless spectrum covering nine radio-frequency (RF) bands, from 0.5 to 110 GHz, into a chip measuring just 0.07 by 0.43 inches (1.7 by 11 millimeters).

A new study published in the journal Nature found that experts have integrated the entire wireless spectrum covering the radio frequency band into the chip. The new chip is also capable of achieving a data transmission rate of more than 100 gigabits per second, including on low bands used in rural areas, where speeds can be very slow. Communication also remained stable across the entire spectrum, the researchers found. To put this data speed into context, 1,000 smartphones embedded with the chip could stream an 8K ultra-high-definition video simultaneously without weaker performance, according to Chinese state media Xinhua. This "one-size-fits-all hardware solution," as the scientists described it in the study, could be reconfigured dynamically to switch the frequency band depending on when this is required. This is important because devices tapping into 6G are going to utilize different wireless spectra, from microwave, millimeter wave (mmWave) to terahertz (THz) bands, the researchers noted.

It further revealed that the new chip measuring 0.07 by 0.43 inches is capable of transferring data at over 100 gigabits per seconds, including on lower bands used in rural areas. High-frequency mmWave and sub-THz bands, between 100 GHz and 300 GHz, will be used for applications which require extremely low latency, such as high-speed artificial intelligence (AI) computing and remote sensing. But sub-6 GHz and microwave bands are still needed to provide coverage across wide areas, the scientists explained. The researchers' new chip could potentially replace multiple systems by taking a dual electro-optic approach, using light to generate stable signals across the RF spectrum. A broadband electro-optic modulator converts wireless signals into optical signals, which are then passed through tunable optoelectronic oscillators, these circuits use light and electricity to generate radio frequencies, from the microwave band to the THz band.

The problem with current wireless hardware, the scientists said, is that it's designed to operate within a narrow frequency. As it stands, rolling out 6G would require several different systems for different bands, which would make wide-scale deployment costly and complex. The scientists made their chip from thin-film lithium niobate (TFLN), instead of traditional lithium niobate, which is used to modulate light at high speeds. TFLN has become the go-to for next-generation telecommunication hardware because of its ability to deliver higher bandwidths at a lower latency. When 6G is rolled out and more people demand more data, cellular networks will inevitably become crowded, like 5G networks are at peak times. Higher traffic could lead to congestion and slower data speeds. The new system avoids interference by using what the researchers describe as "adaptive spectrum management." Normally signals are crammed into one or two frequency bands, but with this new chip, signals can switch between multiple frequencies without data transmission being compromised. This could reduce the likelihood of signalling issues at big events or in crowded spaces, where tens of thousands of devices connect to a network simultaneously.

Chinese state media outlet Xinhua put the chip’s capability into perspective, stating: “1000 smartphones embedded with the chip could stream an 8K ultra-high-definition video simultaneously without weaker performance.”  While Wang and his co-authors believe their 6G "full-spectrum" chip has the potential to be embedded into all compatible devices, plenty of work needs to be done to build out the infrastructure for the next generation of wireless communications. "This technology is like building a super-wide highway where electronic signals are vehicles and frequency bands are lanes," study lead author Wang Xingjun, associate dean of the School of Electronics at Peking University, said.