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No dedicated thread yet; most of the information has been posted in the J-20 thread. But here is an article summarizing the key features of the Chinese 6th gen program from last year. Note CAC is responsible for the development of the J-20, J-10, FC-1, and other aircraft.Is there a thread somewhere about Chinese 6th gen fighter development? Could we have more discussion about the actual thread article please? I am interested in reading more about the developments in the US 6th gen program but have to scroll through all these posts to find anything.
Hints of a next generation fighter
The PLA and Chinese aerospace industry has made impressive advances in recent years and decades to close technological gaps with other leading world military powers. As nations around the world begin to develop 6th generation fighter aircraft and next generation air combat systems, it is likely that China has begun to conduct research and development along similar lines. Assuming that China is aiming to field their equivalent of a 6th generation fighter along a similar time period to U.S., UK and European concepts, pre-research would have likely begun quite a few years ago.
Given traditional Chinese opacity towards leading edge military advances, it was expected that many years might pass until official acknowledgement of a next generation fighter project.
However in early January 2019, the WeChat account of AVIC Times published an interview with Dr. Wang Haifeng, the current chief designer of Chengdu Aerospace Corporation (CAC). One section in the interview provided some surprisingly candid statements regarding a next generation fighter concept.
In this section, Wang first comments on the next generation fighter concepts that have emerged from the U.S. and from Europe. He then lists various technologies that he believes will likely become important in that generation of aircraft such as MUMT, artificial intelligence, very high stealth, omnidirectional sensors and weapons, as well as other less certain technologies such as VCEs, DEWs, hypersonic weapons, and swarming technology.
Astonishingly, he then states that not only has China already been conducting pre-research for a next generation fighter, but also that he predicts current efforts will progress to become weapons to “defend the seas and skies” by 2035 or earlier. Considering the context of the sentence and the choice of words used – specifically “defend the seas and skies,” as opposed to “first appearance” or “emergence” – the interpretation from Wang’s statement is that he expects a next generation Chinese fighter to be in service by 2035 or earlier. Much uncertainty remains currently as to what exactly a 6th generation air combat concept may look like, however it appears a future manned fighter may be part of it for China.
Beyond this statement, there have been other hints that research and development into relevant subsystems has been ongoing. In an article from China’s Science and Technology Awards in June 2018, Liu Youngquan of Aero Engine Corporation of China (AECC) stated that advancements in developing variable cycle engines have been made, including developing key verification technologies and construction of a key technology system. In fact, as early as 2012, Zhang Jian of the preceding AVIC Engine Company confirmed that China was conducting research and development into variable cycle engines. Chinese interest in MUMT have also been strongly suggested, with multiple unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) programs known to be ongoing, and a swarming UAV concept from Zhuhai Airshow 2018 depicted a generic tailless future fighter controlling swarms of drones.
Beyond China’s J-20 Stealth Fighter
Is a carrierborne FC-31 in the works? And what about Chinese 6th generation prospects?
thediplomat.com