Purported Chinese 6th-Gen Aircraft Design Hints at BVR Bomber, Not Dogfighter Like F-35 and Su-57, Says Ex-US Navy Pilot

Former US Navy fighter pilot C.W. Lemoine, with experience flying F-16s and F-18s, recently offered his analysis of a leaked video purportedly showcasing China's sixth-generation fighter jet. While some have hailed the aircraft as a revolutionary leap in air combat, Lemoine's assessment suggests a different role for this mysterious machine.

Lemoine was immediately struck by the aircraft's size, leading him to believe it might be closer to a fighter-bomber (JH) than a traditional fighter. The absence of a tail, a design choice aimed at reducing radar signature, further emphasized the focus on stealth capabilities. "There's no tail; it's just these fins," Lemoine observed, highlighting the priority placed on minimizing radar reflections.

The aircraft's design incorporates a large weapons bay, indicating a significant payload capacity. Coupled with "beefy" landing gear, this suggests the ability to carry heavy loads or operate from austere airfields. Lemoine speculated that the aircraft's role might be more aligned with a strike bomber, capable of high-speed, high-altitude operations and engaging in Beyond Visual Range (BVR) combat, but ultimately designed to deliver bombs undetected deep into enemy territory.

One of the most intriguing aspects of the design is the engine configuration. Lemoine observed what appeared to be three engine intakes and two distinct exhaust nozzles, possibly hinting at a third engine. This unusual configuration, with an intake on top of the fuselage, led him to speculate about potential hypersonic capabilities or the use of advanced propulsion systems like ramjets or scramjets.

However, Lemoine expressed doubts about the aircraft's maneuverability in close-range dogfights. "It's not a dogfighter," he stated, emphasizing that while it may excel in BVR engagements with its potential to carry numerous missiles, its design does not suggest agility for within-visual-range combat, unlike aircraft like the Su-57, F-22, or F-35.

Lemoine's analysis also touched on the broader strategic implications. He acknowledged the aircraft's potential to redefine air superiority roles, shifting towards "strike fighters" that prioritize long-range engagements and precision strikes. He even speculated about the possibility of the aircraft deploying AI-controlled "loyal wingman" drones to handle close-range combat.

Adding a touch of humor, Lemoine suggested the nickname "The J-69 Moth Man" due to its distinctive appearance. He concluded that while the aircraft shows promise as a stealthy, high-capacity strike platform, its exact capabilities and strategic role remain to be seen until more details emerge or it demonstrates its performance in flight.

 

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[sanket]

First, China is finding it difficult to sell its fighter jets in the international market. The only country interested in buying Chinese stuff is Pakistan, which shows how potent the fighter jets developed by the Chinese are. Even Pakistan wants Russian engines for the JF-17 rather than Chinese engines. China hasn't yet mastered fourth-gen jet engines. Third, only Russia & the US can manufacture higher-thrust engines. Just as an example, the F-35 engine has a single engine with higher thrust. China needs to match all parameters, from tech and thrust output to reliability.

 

[Rajesh]

Chinese say more than what they can deliver.

 

[Dipesh Debnath]

It looks like a bomber. After success with a small size bomber, it could be scaled to become a big bomber with more intelligence, complexity and payload. In distributed swarm bomber mode, 20 drones can have same payload as a B2 or B1 and managed by copilot riding a J20S. Swarm distributed bomber and swarm battleship is a new concept already being implemented by Ukraine

 

[Andrew Sebastian Suryali Tung]

First, China is finding it difficult to sell its fighter jets in the international market. The only country interested in buying Chinese stuff is Pakistan, which shows how potent the fighter jets developed by the Chinese are. Even Pakistan wants Russian engines for the JF-17 rather than Chinese engines. China hasn't yet mastered fourth-gen jet engines. Third, only Russia & the US can manufacture higher-thrust engines. Just as an example, the F-35 engine has a single engine with higher thrust. China needs to match all parameters, from tech and thrust output to reliability.

It's actually a bit weirder than that. The Chinese didn't develop an engine the size of what JF-17 needed because they went with the much bigger core of CFM56 for their WS-10. So instead they just flat out copied the RD-93 and called it WS-13. The reason Pakistan refused to use the Chinese engine was because it was an illegal copy of the RD-93 they already selected for their plane. They didn't want to piss off the Russians by blatantly using the Chinese copy. That said, the J-35, if actually sold to Pakistan, will use the WS-21 engine that may also fit in the JF-17, given that earlier FC-31 prototypes used the WS-13.

 

[shekhar]

1. Fast, Stealthy, more payload, fly high, rough landing. All those features make it suitable for China's terrain like Tibet for strike roles.
2. multiple such aircrafts can swarm using 6th gen tech to perform their roles
3. India's counter to this can be Ghatak UCAV.

 

[COHEN MARC]

Whatever said and done, at the end of the day, the Chinese have been preparing for a long war on all fronts. They are going down the path of the Japanese during WW2. The Chinese have been testing the United States military in their own backyard. The Chinese also have a huge hegemony plan for the resource-rich Southeast Asia countries. They have built their artificial island military base right in the heart of Southeast Asian waters, complete with a long-range H6 bombers runway, a deep port for their ships and submarines, and missiles like DF-21, 22, 18s. They plan to take the war right to the doorstep of the United States by having ports near the Panama Canal unless the United States military takes control of the Panama Canal. The Bangladesh issue is the failure of Indian intelligence, which has bungled and been caught with its pants down. In the Maldives, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, and Bhutan, Chinese intelligence is very active in turning these third-rate countries against India. The RAW chief must be replaced, as the guy is not fit for the job. The Pakistani military intelligence has managed to convince the Bangladesh Yunus regime to have Pakistani military advisers and military equipment like 400km range missiles close to the Indian border. The Indian intelligence services need good training to be proactive like Mossad. Coming back to the Chinese, they have managed to get domestic fighter planes, bombers, and transport aircraft to churn out in large numbers. India is still grappling with whether they should get a good plane to defend Indian airspace. The local Tejas has proved to be a failure, depending on the United States for the engine. Even the Russians are going slow on the Indian request for the MIGs and Sukhois to be locally produced by the Indian side. If push comes to shove, India should decide if they need to give the United States military bases close to the Chinese-India border.

 

[Yazidi]

Chinese say more than what they can deliver.

But for this case, they didn't say anything or release any statement or make any claims. Somehow based on some raw unvetified footage, it kicked off a media storm by wannabe aviation experts giving their two cents worth. Everyone seems to know exactly what these are.