Chinese UCAV/CCA/flying wing drones (ISR, A2A, A2G) thread

[mack8]

Fwiw, this is a comparison of the 3(?) 6th gens, the J-X is flipped. At least from this angle the noses of J-36 and J-X look quite similar, what do you make of it?

 

[Deino]

Allegedly a 5th photo, posted by @RichardLiCHN on Twitter. Similar cautions apply.

View attachment 157344

Thsi is based on the same image via Huitong's blog!

 

[Mearex]

Any chance this could be an alternative prototype developed in parallel for J-36? Perhaps they are testing different wing geometries / control surfaces and have yet to select a final design? Or could the J-36 that was revealed be more of an initial tech demonstrator and this is either an actual prototype or later tech demonstrator?

whatever the case is, it certainly looks much better than the 36. Wonder what all the "too heavy, 3 engine, has a dorsal intake so can't be a fighter" people will say now.

 

[mack8]

I think Huitong is giving to much credit to the image above, to me it's obviously a pretty sloppy PS of the J-36.

 

[tankphobia]

It might be time to move the previous few pages to a new thread if it's not a CCA. 3rd 6th gen aircraft?

 

[johncliu88]

Another photo and thanks for the original poster

 

[zyklon]

View attachment 157336
View attachment 157337
I know most people are leaning toward unmanned CCA but the resemblence is just uncanny with this underside view.

It's from a patent awarded to Northwestern Polytechnical University

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1952249803368452465

Any hint WHERE this thing was seen?

It isn't at all a secret that Northwestern Polytechnical University (西北工业大学) and XAC (西飞) have engaged in extensive cooperation and collaboration, especially in aerospace R&D, for decades.

So if the aircraft captured here is indeed representative of or otherwise derived from the 西北工业大学 patent in question, then there's a reasonable chance that this aircraft belongs to XAC, and was photographed above the skies of Xi'an (西安), where both institutions are located.

 

[huitong]

I think Huitong is giving to much credit to the image above, to me it's obviously a pretty sloppy PS of the J-36.

That fake image has been deleted.

 

[GiantCanofWater]

What could that hump behind the nose be? Could this be a cockpit or do CCAs usually have those?

 

[Nautilus]

Mere similarity in profile is not enough to claim it is PSed. After all, if it's a CCA that's meant to keep up with J-36 there's no reason why it wouldn't have a similar planform.