Key Points and Summary – The United States is now in a high-stakes race with China to be the first to field an operational sixth-generation fighter. China’s Chengdu J-36, a large, tailless stealth aircraft, has a significant head start, having already been flying in public since late 2024.
-In contrast, America’s F-47 has yet to fly, with only experimental “X-planes” having been tested.
-While the U.S. aims for a 2029 deployment, China’s progress suggests its J-36 could enter service as soon as 2030, potentially making it the world’s first operational sixth-generation fighter.
J-36: Could China Beat Everyone in the Sixth-Gen Fighter Race?
China’s Chengdu J-36 is a sixth-generation, tailless stealth combat aircraft under development by Chengdu Aircraft Corporation (CAC) – and a direct competitor to the United States’ F-47.
The two-crew platform is designed for deep strike performance, coordination with “loyal wingmen” drones, and anti-access/area-denial missions.
While there is no confirmed public timeline for when the J-36 will enter operational service, its development is ongoing, with test flights and images now surfacing frequently.
In June, a new front photograph showed the twin-seat design. Two wide-angle Heads-Up Displays are clearly visible in the images, along with a split front canopy. The Aviationist compared the design to that of the B-2 Spirit and the upcoming B-21 Raider.
Images that circulated earlier, in April 2025, showed the tailless design from the side, as well as the weapons bays. The images also showed the aircraft with its main landing gear extended, which appear to be encased in one large door.
Analysts have projected that the J-36 could enter service as soon as 2030 – and if China pulls it off, the aircraft could become the first operational sixth-generation fighter in the world. That is, of course, assuming that the United States fails to achieve operational status for its F-47 by 2029.
In May 2025, U.S. Air Force (USAF) Chief of Staff General David Allvin shared an update on the Boeing F-47 – America’s sixth-generation fighter designed to replace the Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor.
In an X post, Allvin said that the F-47 will be the “world’s best example of speed, agility, and lethality,” and even floated the possibility that the aircraft will be deployed some time between 2025 and 2029.
The comments echoed similar commitments made when the F-47 was first announced, when officials stated that the sixth-generation aircraft would be ready to fly before President Donald Trump leaves office in January 2029. But first flight doesn’t mean operational service.
Plans can change, too – and the United States is now in a race with China to become the first global power to enter a sixth-generation fighter into operational service. For the U.S., evolving requirements could still delay the project.
Current plans to build roughly 185 F-47s are already less ambitious than those from 2023, when plans to procure as many as 200 Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) fighters, alongside 1,000 advanced drones, were announced.
China’s head start is real, too. The J-36 flew publicly on December 26, 2024, and images from 2025 show a maturing airframe with large internal bays progressing through ground and flight tests.
China is proving itself in terms of propulsion, too, with progress on the J-20’s WS-15 offering a look at the kind of power we could expect from the J-36.
Meanwhile, the F-47 has yet to fly at all – with only a series of experimental “X-planes” designed to serve as a proof of concept having reportedly been flown since 2020.
China may well cross the finish line first with the J-36 – whether by employing a “good enough” approach to initial capability or simply staying on pace.
The American F-47’s ambitious, system-of-systems approach, meanwhile, may take longer to pull together.
It’s worth noting, though, that being first doesn’t equal best – and the ultimate test for each aircraft will ultimately be how well they perform as networked combat systems under pressure.
About the Author:
Jack Buckby is a British author, counter-extremism researcher, and journalist based in New York who writes frequently for National Security Journal. Reporting on the U.K., Europe, and the U.S., he works to analyze and understand left-wing and right-wing radicalization, and reports on Western governments’ approaches to the pressing issues of today. His books and research papers explore these themes and propose pragmatic solutions to our increasingly polarized society. His latest book is The Truth Teller: RFK Jr. and the Case for a Post-Partisan Presidency.
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Robert
August 29, 2025 at 6:11 pm
Its not a 6th gen fighter its chinas version of russias mig-25 back in the day.It showed up scared everyone silly then it was found out to not be the killer jet they said it was. Furthermore you dont go from 15 to 20 years behind your opponents deployment of a 5th gen fighter to suddenly ahead of the same opponent thats been working on a 6th gen fighter right after deploying their 5th gen aircraft.This so called 6th gen fighter is nothing more than a modified design of copied concept work of americas 6th gen project.If it was truly a 6th gen fighter that was about to be deployed china would of boldly boasted this with plenty of tv footage to prove to the world their supremacy.Cant believe people are falling for this but hey what should i expect from americans.They thought a man that hides his grades,filed multiple bankruptcies,defaulted on countless loan,and couldn’t make a casino profitable would be great for the economy….go figure.
Jon
August 30, 2025 at 1:39 am
We love Trump. Finally someone who knows how to run a country and make America great again. Dont worry, he can make your country great again too!
Wansai Ounkeo
August 30, 2025 at 6:45 am
Why do you think they lack the capability when they already have their own supercruise engine, and already lead in hypersonic technology. Even their current Air to Air missile tech is superior to what we have. Our upcoming missiles in testing will only put us on par with their current missiles and it is so big we can’t fit it into our current platforms. Their next variant will double the range we can achieve and is designed to fit into those 6th gen fights you see pictured above. That’s why those jets are so big.
None of this is hypothetical.
Joseph K
August 31, 2025 at 12:21 am
This is actually a pretty dumb question. China already has multiple 6th gen fighter jets undergoing tests. The F47 barely even has funding for a rough rendering.
Historically, American junk had been overpriced engineering failures. Look at the F35 and F22, USS Ford, LOL the mothballed zumwalts that cost $10 billion a piece that left port once and had to towed back on its maiden voyage…..too many to list. Each getting more and more expensive.
The Chinese don’t brag about what they might or might not do they just do it. And they keep doing it until it’s near perfection before mass producing. Just wait till they launch their 120000+ ton nuclear flat top supercarrier.
Cabezon
September 1, 2025 at 11:45 pm
Robert,
You were doing good when describing Chinas piece of junk, however you lost me when you bad mouth Trump. What do you expect libtards like though?