China's 6th-Gen Fighter "White Emperor" Takes To Skies Ahead Of Trump's Second Term

   10 years ago, China's high speed trains were said to be copies of German ones although soon enough they were speeding a 350 km/h, past their German former models. And yes, China is still behind in ball bearing technology. Still, that is a lot of catching up in a rather short time.

  Now it's the turn of 6th generation fighter planes. Except that this time there is nothing to imitate in the West since even the US is still years away from flying a 6th generation plane. (Skunk Works may have some undisclosed prototypes though.) This shows the amazing progress of Chinese technology. Just like Electric Vehicles. 10 years behind one day. 10 years ahead the day after. (Remember the scorn of Elon Musk talking about BYD some years ago!)

  What I find amazing is not only the speed of progress in China, but the lack of it in Western countries, more concerned with pay back to "shareholders" than investing in the future. This has been going on for 30 years and we are starting to see the consequences. 

China's 6th-Gen Fighter "White Emperor" Takes To Skies Ahead Of Trump's Second Term

Footage circulating on social media appears to show the maiden flight of China's next-generation tactical fighter-bomber, which is expected to replace the Xi'an JH-7, according to Defense Blog.

Footage first appeared on the Chinese social media platform Weibo on Thursday of a new stealth bomber with a "diamond-shaped wing design" flying at low altitude in an unspecified region of China. 

"The new design signals a shift in China's emphasis toward a more stealth, precision-strike capability," a military analyst told the Defense Blog, adding, "Its low-observability features align with the need for platforms capable of operating in contested environments."

Here's more from Defense Blog:

China's decision to advance a next-generation fighter-bomber highlights its strategic focus on modernizing tactical aviation. The aircraft is expected to replace the aging fleet of JH-7 bombers, which have been in service since the 1990s. Analysts also point out that the new platform could serve as China's answer to Russia's Su-34 Fullback, a proven tactical strike aircraft currently deployed in Ukrainian war.

While specifics about the aircraft's capabilities remain classified, its development underscores China's intention to bolster its tactical airpower. The design's low-observability focus, combined with the platform's apparent size, suggests it may be equipped for carrying advanced guided missiles, including anti-ship and air-to-ground weapons.

The new aircraft's emphasis on stealth and survivability positions it as a potential key player in China's effort to counterbalance adversarial air defenses, particularly in scenarios involving Taiwan or the South China Sea.

"Wow… I'm still flashed but at first sight, this type seems to be huge in comparison to even a J-20S and indeed features three engines with two bottom and one air-intake on top of the fuselage for the center engine," one China military aviation researcher wrote on X. 

Zhao DaShuai, a member of the People's Armed Police Propaganda Bureau, wrote on X, "This is the world's first 6th generation fighter. We have moved ahead of the United States in air dominance." 

Meanwhile, in the US, Defense News recently said the US Air Force "struggled for much of 2024 to figure out how — and even whether — to proceed with its planned sixth-generation fighter, known as Next Generation Air Dominance." 

The unveiling of China's next-gen stealth fighter bomb comes ahead of President-elect Donald Trump's inauguration next month. 

We suspect it's only a matter of time before Trump begins boasting about America's plans for its 6th generation fighter. 

Who has the bigger sixth-generation jet?