New, Tail-less Aircraft Spotted Flying Alongside J-20S

New imagery circulating on social media points to China flying a new sixth-generation fighter jet design. While many observations are purely speculative, the aircraft seems to be equipped with several unique features for improved stealth and performance.

The previously unseen jet was recently seen taking a daytime test flight, chased by a two-seat Chengdu J-20S fighter. The Chinese Ministry of Defense has yet to comment on the sighting or announce any formal details.

The jet has a tail-less design with five control surfaces on the trailing edge of the wing to give extra authority and serve as air brakes. It uses a modified delta wing and has chine lines running up to the nose.

Many next-gen aircraft have removed the traditional tail, mainly for stealth purposes since tail-less jets typically produce smaller radar signatures. This configuration also improves aerodynamic efficiency by reducing drag, providing overall improved performance in long, high-speed flights and cruise. However, not having a tail can cause problems with the aircraft's maneuverability.

The new jet looked to be about the same size as the J-20S chase plane, which is nearly 70 feet from nose to tail. It is likely heavier than the older fighter, indicated by the twin-wheel main gear, sacrificing endurance and weapon room.

Arguably the strangest aspect of the potential sixth-gen fighter is its three air intakes - one on top of the fuselage and the others on each side of the lower fuselage. This points to an extremely unusual three-engine structure.

China’s sixth-gen combat aircraft program appears to be fairly comparable to the US military’s Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) initiative. Now-retired Air Force Gen. Mark D. Kelly explained back in 2022 that Chinese sixth-gen air power is “greatly the way we see it: an exponential reduction in signature, exponential acceleration of processing power and sensing.”

Despite the extensive rumors, it remains a mystery what exactly the jet is or where it came from. It could be an early prototype or purely a testing demonstrator… but either way, it's gonna be big.

FMI: https://eng.mod.gov.cn