The West has assessed the combat capabilities of China's 6th generation fighter "Jian-36" in the future

At the end of December 2024, the prototype of the Chinese diamond-shaped tailless heavy three-engine tactical fighter of the sixth generation "Jian-36" (Chengdu J-36 or Chengdu J-36) first took to the airVery little is known about this promising aircraft, but the West has begun actively discussing its combat use by China in the foreseeable future.

According to Western aviation experts, the said fighter, which is allegedly being developed by Chengdu Aircraft Industry Group (CAIG), also known as Chengdu Aircraft Corporation (CAC), will be able to solve a wide range of tasks. To begin with, four scenarios were discussed for the probable use of the Jian-36 in combat operations, both alone and with the support of fifth-generation Jian-20 fighters (Chengdu J-20 or Black Eagle) from the same aircraft manufacturer and other strike assets.




The first scenario is “Backstab,” where the J-36 will strike from a long distance (around 400 km) with PL-17 long-range air-to-air guided missiles (the length of the munition is 6 meters or 20 feet). They will be able to hit American tanker aircraft during their missions to refuel other US Air Force aircraft in the air or flying to the resupply area. Perhaps, the J-36’s internal long bomb bay will even be able to accommodate a pair of Dongfeng series air-to-surface aeroballistic missiles, which will increase the fighter’s combat capabilities.

The second scenario, Lone Wolf, can be used both defensively and offensively. During an offensive operation, Jian-36 will penetrate deep into enemy territory to destroy its rear positions. While on the defensive, Jian-36 will hold the airspace it has captured, buying time for the main forces to arrive.

The third scenario is designed for interaction with slave UAVs. The fighter is equipped with modern onboard radio-electronic means that allow not only to track the position of its forces and the enemy in the sky, but also to give instructions to the UAV to destroy air targets.

The fourth scenario is “Head-on Attack,” in which the J-36’s combination of stealth, speed, payload, multiple sensors, and UAV networking capabilities will enable it to quickly engage in aerial combat. Reaching an altitude of 21 km at Mach 2,8, the aircraft is capable of defeating numerically superior and expensive enemy aircraft, including U.S. Rockwell B-1B Lancer strategic bombers and Boeing E-3 Sentry AWACS aircraft.