PLA next/6th generation fighter thread

[ChineseToTheBone]

While there could be program requirement changes for NGAD and F/A-XX with the emergence of this upcoming sixth generation fighter, I am more interested by how FCAS and GCAP manned fighter developments will be influenced.
Those joint development programs are definitely behind American or Chinese efforts so they could end up being heavily modified from their currently proposed designs. especially since it was always kind of wonky how they are being designed from countries that never built their own indigenous fifth generation designs.

 

[Nx4eu]

I made a simple blender model based on the rumors heard so far. i decided to use a top intake which definitely makes the design "ugly"

 

[Deino]

I made a simple blender model based on the rumors heard so far. i decided to use a top intake which definitely makes the design "ugly"
View attachment 141097View attachment 141098

Interesting and I‘m still not sure what to expect? Indeed a third intake on top or one one the bottom?? For the middle engine.

 

[Nx4eu]

Interesting and I‘m still not sure what to expect? Indeed a third intake on top or one one the bottom?? For the middle engine.

I believe a large top intake should be sufficient in supplying 3 engines if designed correctly. Reference Intake from XB-70 is relatively small compared to the 6 engines it's meant to supply. I personally also believe if they wanted improved LO across all spectrums, the bottom should be relatively smooth, meaning the intakes should take a top configuration, sacrificing high AoA capabilities in the process, making it more supersonic tactical fighter/bomber, versus a multirole air superiority design.

 

[bsdnf]

While there could be program requirement changes for NGAD and F/A-XX with the emergence of this upcoming sixth generation fighter, I am more interested by how FCAS and GCAP manned fighter developments will be influenced.
Those joint development programs are definitely behind American or Chinese efforts so they could end up being heavily modified from their currently proposed designs. especially since it was always kind of wonky how they are being designed from countries that never built their own indigenous fifth generation designs.

I think their program will end up being crushed by the American thrown out 6-generation plan again, just like the 5 gen plan, the F-35 has already crushed the system design and integration capabilities of these countries. They pretend to be competent by cooperating, but in reality they are just bargaining chips.

 

[Gloire_bb]

I think their program will end up being crushed by the American thrown out 6-generation plan again, just like the 5 gen plan, the F-35 has already crushed the system design and integration capabilities of these countries. They pretend to be competent by cooperating, but in reality they are just bargaining chips.

How?

They have their own design cycle.
Those who can produce a fighter, had it in a form of relatively fresh eurocanards.

Now same countries look for a new solution simply because the lifecycle time came.

Others, realistically, can't. Japan pretended it can for the last two decades.
But reinventing the already invented wheel ultimately proven to be the extent of that they can do.

 

[TK3600]

I think their program will end up being crushed by the American thrown out 6-generation plan again, just like the 5 gen plan, the F-35 has already crushed the system design and integration capabilities of these countries. They pretend to be competent by cooperating, but in reality they are just bargaining chips.

I assure you neither US nor China is looking to share 6th gen designs with third party at this point, or any time soon.

 

[ougoah]

One major difference is DF-17 was tested in some remote desert while anything fly out of CAC would be witnessed by a whole city with population of millions.

Except that CAC certainly must have test facilities outside of Chengdu city.

Just like Lockheed U2 flew in Area 51 long before making a fully assembled variant appearance in its main facility.

CAC could assemble prototypes outside of its Chengdu facility.

China certainly has a lot of flight test facilities in western regions. But of course this doesn't mean CAC is definitely not the first flight location. Who knows. It's just wrong to assume the first flight is/was definitely at Chengdu.

 

[Gloire_bb]

I assure you neither US nor China is looking to share 6th gen designs with third party at this point, or any time soon.

Giving assurances on something we don't know is premature.

US block on f-22 was unusual, based on a rather misguided - as it appeared - assessment of own position in the world, and backfired badly enough.
And that's despite f-22 being truly half a circle away from others.

Moreover, that decision effectively doomed both the platform and the unique tech advantage with it.

Is j-xx such a platform far away from others? Is it really that far away from, say, j-35?
Frankly, we don't know yet. Size isn't generational thing.

 

[bsdnf]

How?

They have their own design cycle.
Those who can produce a fighter, had it in a form of relatively fresh eurocanards.

Now same countries look for a new solution simply because the lifecycle time came.

Others, realistically, can't. Japan pretended it can for the last two decades.
But reinventing the already invented wheel ultimately proven to be the extent of that they can do.

Frankly speaking, Europe is one generation behind. Eurocanard are all 4.5 generation aircraft after all. Britain and Italy are indeed involved in the F-35 project, but it is difficult to develop a 5 gen aircraft without the Americans, let alone 6 gen. And France and Germany cooperation, which actually mainly rely on France. In my opinion, Europe can only catch up with China and the United States if it cooperates as a whole, rather than splitting into two separate projects.