China Chengdu J-36

[Military Update]

China appears to be taking a bold leap forward in airpower with what could be its first 6th generation fighter — the Chengdu J-36.

While official details are scarce, here's a summary of what has surfaced so far:

Tailless flying wing design
Possible AI-assisted systems
Integration with loyal wingman drones
Likely 3D thrust vectoring & supercruise
Stealth-first platform, potentially rivaling NGAD

What sets the J-36 apart is its radical departure from the J-20 — this isn’t just another stealthy evolution, but possibly a platform designed from the ground up to compete in a multi-domain, sensor-fusion battlespace.

Some analysts speculate it may already be in early test flights, possibly under the radar as a tech demonstrator — similar to how the U.S. kept its NGAD prototype under wraps.

Full breakdown and analysis here:
https://www.militaryupdate.net/2025/04/chengdu-j36-6th-gen-fighter.html

Discussion points:

• Could the J-36 match or outpace the U.S. NGAD timeline?
• Is China ready for a 6th-gen production run or is this a PR move?
• What roles could the J-36 be optimized for — deep strike? air dominance? electronic warfare?

Would love to hear what fellow members think.
Is this a genuine next-gen leap, or smoke and mirrors?

 

[NEKO]

What roles could the J-36 be optimized for — deep strike? air dominance? electronic warfare?

For me its like F-111 aardvark but without the swept wing also +stealth.
Main purpose is for strike mission.

 

[Kaan Azman]

What the man said, but I think that it might take on some unconventional role in air-to-air combat when you look at that HUUUUUGE radome, big internal bays to accomodate long-range missiles, and multiple EO sensors.

I also thought it would be strike oriented but I guess it will be overall meant for long-range warfare in general.

They also seem to plan on putting a variant for carriers. https://turdef.com/article/avic-works-on-carrier-based-variant-of-j-36-fighter

 

[Azeri441]

What the man said, but I think that it might take on some unconventional role in air-to-air combat when you look at that HUUUUUGE radome, big internal bays to accomodate long-range missiles, and multiple EO sensors.

I also thought it would be strike oriented but I guess it will be overall meant for long-range warfare in general.

They also seem to plan on putting a variant for carriers. https://turdef.com/article/avic-works-on-carrier-based-variant-of-j-36-fighter

It will definitely have the role of targeting US tankers and AWACS with massive PL-17s, and probably PL-15s for self defense against fighters