Chinas Stealth-Prototypen - Chengdu J-36

[Quintus Fabius]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chengdu_J-36

PERUN über das neueste chinesische Stealth-Kampfflugzeug:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=exD-ZrG1XTA

In late December 2024, the PRC showed off two in a single day - one of which doesn't appear to have a direct, active equivalent in the US or any allied air force.

Today, I discuss these new aircraft with guest contributor Justin Bronk of the The Royal United Services Institute and ask what they might mean both for the modernisation of the PLAAF and the wider military balance.

https://www.airandspaceforces.com/new-ch...ge-bomber/

Experts: New Chinese Combat Aircraft Likely a Medium-Range Bomber

The larger aircraft could be analogous to the FB-22 medium stealth bomber considered but not adopted by the U.S. Air Force in the early 2000s.

The “JH-36” seen in the video and still imagery—which was not censored or commented on by the Chinese government—is a large aircraft, about 30 percent larger than the 70-foot J-20S two-seat “Mighty Dragon” apparently flying chase in the images. The new flying wing delta airplane has no vertical control surfaces but has five flaperons on each side of the trailing edge of the wing, heavily deflected to near-vertical in some of the images, and moving independently. A tailless aircraft is inherently stealthier than one with vertical control surfaces, offering less of a target for radar, and would typically be lighter, allowing for extended range.

Seit so vielen Jahren schon habe ich immer die FB-22 als große verpasste Chance bezeichnet und geschrieben, dass dieses Konzept die Zukunft bemannter Systeme in der Luft war und ist. Das also leichte / mittlere Bomber das bemannte Kampfflugzeug der Zukunft sind.

Und nun, hier ist es. Alles was ich seit 20 Jahren so dazu gedacht und geschrieben habe.

The aircraft has three inlets: one dorsal inlet at mid-fuselage, and two ventral inlets near the nose, in a parallelogram-shape reminiscent of the F-22, and three apparent above-wing exhausts, suggesting three engines.

Three engines would make the aircraft very heavy—or at least reduce its range and payload—and experts speculated that the reason for three may have to do with generating power for intense electronic warfare applications or to mix bypass air with the exhaust air to cool it and reduce the aircraft’s heat signature.

Mehr EloKa, weniger Hitzesignatur, ein Schwerpunkt auf der Tarnung der Thermalsignatur, alles was ich seit je her als Schwerpunkte dazu benannt hatte.

One industry expert said the JH-36 reminds him of the Lockheed FB-22 because of its size, and because some of its forward-fuselage features reflect the heritage of the J-20. He noted that the FB-22—an adaptation of the stealth fighter to hold more weapons and fuel—was offered when the Air Force’s Next-Generation Bomber was canceled, creating a potential gap in penetrating bomber capacity.

“The FB-22 would have been a pretty straightforward stopgap,” he said, “re-using the fuselage and systems of the F-22 with an extension and bigger wings to hold more weapons and fuel.” The Air Force considered the concept but dropped it when it was approved to undertake a new long-range bomber program.

“Given the likely first steps in a Taiwan scenario, a medium-range bomber makes sense for the PLAAF,” an industry technologist said. However, the aircraft could also be “a technology demonstrator, or even a fighter. We just can’t tell at this point,” an industry expert said.

The other aircraft revealed, in images with diminished detail, is also a tailless aircraft with a lambda-style wing planform and an overall arrowhead-like design.

Wie das gezeigte System mit dem folgenden zusammen hängt ist wie vieles andere noch unklar:

https://x.com/zhao_dashuai/status/187231...58475?mx=2

Clearest view of China's second 6th gen fighter design, this one is designed by SAC.

It's smaller with a 2 engine set up, it's also a tailless flying wing design, albeit more conventional compared to the CAC's 3 engine design.

From the looks of it, this SAC design is more agile, may very well be better suited for carrier operation.