China is undoubtedly making significant strides in its aerospace industry. However, these advancements have not altered the United States’ plans for its Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) program, aimed at developing a new sixth-generation fighter jet. This was confirmed by Frank Kendall III, Secretary of the U.S. Air Force (USAF), in an interview with Air & Space Forces Magazine.
It is worth noting that last October, the USAF’s NGAD program was temporarily suspended due to various concerns over its high costs and potential reforms under a new Trump administration. Despite these challenges, Kendall affirmed that recent sightings of new Chinese stealth aircraft “have had no impact” on the NGAD program’s progress. The program’s goal is to acquire a family of systems to replace the F-22 Raptor fighter jet.
“I’ve been watching China modernize its military for quite some time. They are aggressively working to build a military designed to keep the United States out of the Western Pacific, and I believe that over time, they have ambitions that go beyond even that,” Kendall stated. He also pointed out that China has already demonstrated its commitment to modernizing its strategic forces and drastically increasing its nuclear weapons inventory. A similar scenario is unfolding in space, where militarization is occurring at what he described as a “blistering pace.” Nevertheless, any advancements by China were “already anticipated” by the U.S., according to Kendall.
China’s advances in the aerospace domain
Recent sightings of new Chinese aircraft occurred at the end of 2024, involving a potential new tactical bomber and a next-generation fighter, among other capabilities. The first record of these sightings was on December 26, when a possible sixth-generation stealth fighter-bomber of the People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) was observed. While no additional details have been disclosed, images released show this aircraft flying alongside a sixth-generation J-20S fighter, a new two-seat version of the Mighty Dragon officially unveiled during November’s Zhuhai Airshow. The tests are believed to have taken place at the facilities of Chengdu Aircraft Corporation.
On the same day, similar material began circulating, showcasing the flight of another aircraft also considered to belong to a new generation. Unlike the first aircraft (unofficially referred to as the “J-36”), this second aircraft conducted its tests on December 30 from the facilities of Shenyang Aircraft Corporation. It was escorted by one of the combat aircraft derived from the Flanker family, manufactured by the same company.
Both aircraft share a wing design with no vertical stabilizer, featuring a distinct arrow-shaped flying wing configuration. Speculation abounds regarding whether these represent new manned or unmanned stealth aircraft, although it remains uncertain whether they belong to the fifth or sixth generation. What is clear is that China is making significant strides in its aerospace industry, prioritizing technological advancements and functionality to adapt its Air Force to constantly changing environments and a volatile regional landscape.
Supporting this assertion, December 29 also marked a significant milestone for the PLAAF with the first recorded flight of the new KJ-3000 airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft, developed by Xi’an Aircraft Corporation. The KJ-3000 is based on the latest version of the Y-20 strategic transport aircraft, designated as the Y-20B. It features a circular radome mounted atop the fuselage, likely housing advanced AESA radars and antennas, enabling comprehensive situational awareness in operational environments. In addition to early warning and airborne control functions, the KJ-3000 is believed to possess intelligence gathering and processing capabilities (ELINT/SIGINT) and electronic warfare systems for self-protection, aimed at degrading enemy air defense and missile systems. These developments underscore China’s focus on expanding its strategic and technological capabilities in aerospace.
Current status of the NGAD program
As mentioned earlier, the USAF’s NGAD program was temporarily suspended for several reasons. However, Secretary Kendall stated that he does not regret leaving the decision to continue with the project in the hands of the new Trump administration. The program is extremely costly and “will be weighed against other high-level considerations,” as there are “other strategic priorities.”
One of the factors considered was the evolving nature of threats and the technology needed to operate in this century, which led to a reassessment of the program’s progress. Kendall mentioned that they were not 100% sure they had selected the right aircraft, highlighting the need to “carefully think about what is essentially a replacement for the F-22.” “A lot is at stake in this decision because we won’t have another sixth-generation program in the short term. It’s a commitment of tens of billions of dollars and several decades, so we must ensure that we’re pursuing the best operational capability with those resources,” added the Secretary.
On the other hand, while the USAF’s NGAD project has been temporarily suspended, the U.S. Navy has decided to move forward with selecting its future sixth-generation fighter. This is key, as both developments were deeply interconnected. However, the Navy plans to continue with its project, currently known as F/A-XX, which is intended to replace the multirole F/A-18 Super Hornet and E/A-18 Growler.
At present, authorities must choose from three current candidates (namely, designs from Boeing, Northrop Grumman, and Lockheed Martin). Nonetheless, the U.S. Navy is determined to proceed independently with the program, as confirmed by Rear Admiral Michael Donnelly, director of the Naval Air Warfare Division of the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations.
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