PLA next/6th generation fighter thread

[Blitzo]

I think the bigger reason for having a second fighter is if the do everything very large fighter is very expensive and you still need a very capable manned platform to fill in quantities without having to literally be do everything.

That's partly the question about "how many manned fighters" do you need, in terms of timeline though.

J-20A and J-35A will be in production for some time into the future (particularly J-35A), and if CAC's J-XD enters service come 2030+, would they even need a secondary smaller manned J-XD to "fill in quantities"? Because that would imply a timespan where a combination of CAC's J-XD, manned 5th gen fighters (J-20/A and J-35A), and whatever unmanned CCAs/UCAV solutions emerge, would still be quantitatively insufficient.

 

[Deino]

Starting to get the sense that this is actually an evolved JH-XX lol.

In fact I slowly get a similar feeling and if reports about two different J-XD1/2 types are true, then it could be we finally see the PLAAF not only leading the way into what is currently loosely termed „6th generation“ - but in in a USAF-alike way like NGAD - but in its own way or interpretation of future aerial warfare. So maybe one - aka this one - is indeed more an „evolved JH-XX“ multirole type with a strong emphasis on strike and the second one a more „aerial dominance“ type.

Lets wait and find out …

 

[Blitzo]

In fact I slowly get a similar feeling and if reports about two different J-XD1/2 types are true, then it could be we finally see the PLAAF not only leading the way into what is currently loosely termed „6th generation“ - but in in a USAF-alike way like NGAD - but in its own way or interpretation of future aerial warfare. So maybe one - aka this one - is indeed more an „evolved JH-XX“ multirole type with a strong emphasis on strike and the second one a more „aerial dominance“ type.

Lets wait and find out …

I am dubious if an "air dominance" next generation "fighter" would exist in the first place.

I think the idea of an "evolved JH-XX" and "air dominance next gen fighter" very well may be the same thing.

 

[TK3600]

Stop thinking about fighters. Think light/medium/heavy air combat aircraft inside a combat formation with different roles.

All aircrafts could perform multirole. And since it has a large bay, it could very well carry medium sized munitions for ground lighter aircrafts unsuitable for.

Think of another way: Mig-31 is an interceptor, buts high speed is also suitable for a2g high speed missiles like Kinzal. But that capability does not take away its interceptor role.

 

[Wrought]

I am dubious if an "air dominance" next generation "fighter" would exist in the first place.

I think the idea of an "evolved JH-XX" and "air dominance next gen fighter" very well may be the same thing.

Surely there are still tradeoffs when it comes to internal geometry. You need a deeper bay to support strike roles, which is space you are dedicating and sacrifices you are making for roles other than air superiority.

I'm not sure if the tradeoff is big enough to justify developing separate and specialized platforms, but it exists.

 

[Blitzo]

Surely there are still tradeoffs when it comes to internal geometry. You need a deeper bay to support strike roles, which is space you are dedicating and sacrifices you are making for roles other than air superiority.

I'm not sure if the tradeoff is big enough to justify developing separate and specialized platforms, but it exists.

Yes, such an aircraft would simply be "JH-XX" rather than an "evolved JH-XX" however.

 

[InsaneHum]

... PS: Also he noted "Cockpit is like Su-34 ( twin seat), shape like F-117 but “smooth” not sharpen, have two tail." and "Oh yes it has 3 engines."!

Would be interesting to make a sketch of this!

Ignoring the intake and engine configurations, this early fanart of the JH-XX somehow turned out to be close in some aspects (twin seat, two tails, shape like F-117).

 

[Blitzo]

View attachment 141082
Ignoring the intake and engine configurations, this early fanart of the JH-XX somehow turned out to be close in some aspects (twin seat, two tails, shape like F-117).

That wasn't exactly random fanart -- it was based off the suspicious looking model from the early 2010s that was subsequently associated with "JH-XX".


As for what it ends up looking like, the description provided by Deino's friend could be interpreted in many ways.

 

[latenlazy]

Stop thinking about fighters. Think light/medium/heavy air combat aircraft inside a combat formation with different roles.

All aircrafts could perform multirole. And since it has a large bay, it could very well carry medium sized munitions for ground lighter aircrafts unsuitable for.

Think of another way: Mig-31 is an interceptor, buts high speed is also suitable for a2g high speed missiles like Kinzal. But that capability does not take away its interceptor role.

Kinematics is still important even if the flight regimes being optimized for are different so I think “fighter” still matters.

 

[2=GT]

Digging up some random pictures from 10 years ago