• Pentagon’s 2025 China Military Power Report confirms successful flight testing of tailless sixth-generation fighter prototypes
• Two aircraft designated Chengdu J-36 and Shenyang J-50 could achieve operational capability by 2035
• Acknowledgment comes as US Next Generation Air Dominance program remains paused amid cost concerns and leadership transition

WASHINGTON, DC (TDR) — The U.S. Department of Defense has formally acknowledged for the first time that China successfully flight-tested multiple sixth-generation stealth fighter prototypes in December 2024, marking a significant milestone in the escalating competition for air dominance between Washington and Beijing.

The Pentagon’s annual 2025 China Military Power Report, released this week, confirms that China began testing a pair of sixth-generation aircraft designated by analysts as the Chengdu J-36 and Shenyang J-50. Both feature radical tailless designs that represent a dramatic departure from current fifth-generation platforms.

“Once operational, a sixth-generation aircraft will likely be suitable for various combat missions, including air-to-air and air-to-surface missions, as well as guiding uncrewed aircraft in combat missions.”

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The assessment contends the aircraft are in nascent development stages but could become operational by 2035. According to the report, China’s People’s Liberation Army Air Force is narrowing the technological gap with the United States at an “alarming” rate, leveraging digital engineering and rapid prototyping to bypass traditional development hurdles.

Tri-Engine Design Surprises Analysts

The Chengdu J-36 prototype, first spotted in flight on December 26, features a unique tri-jet configuration with three air intakes. The aircraft was photographed flying over Chengdu accompanied by a J-20 stealth fighter chase plane, with the prototype bearing the serial number 36011 painted on its forward fuselage.

Aviation analysts believe the unusual three-engine setup potentially provides enhanced speed and range capabilities, with one engine possibly dedicated to high-speed supercruise and power generation for directed energy weapons such as lasers. The large diamond-shaped flying wing design suggests substantial internal weapons bays capable of carrying long-range missiles.

Defense experts estimate the aircraft’s weapons bay extends approximately 25 feet, potentially accommodating the PL-17 ultra-long-range air-to-air missile with reported 500-kilometer range, or substantial air-to-ground munitions. The tailless configuration aligns with advanced stealth characteristics designed to minimize radar signature.

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General Kenneth Wilsbach, head of Air Combat Command, told a March Air & Space Forces Association event that Pentagon analysts believe the sixth-generation aircraft are intended for air superiority roles.

“Those sixth-generation aircraft, we believe, are for air superiority. We have some choices to make as we observe what China has produced. What are we going to do about it? I don’t believe that nothing is an option.”

US Program Remains in Limbo

The acknowledgment comes as America’s Next Generation Air Dominance program remains paused amid concerns over per-aircraft costs exceeding $300 million. Former Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall suspended the NGAD development effort in 2024, describing it as “essentially an F-22 replacement” but questioning affordability.

Industry experts note a troubling timeline disparity. While Boeing recently won the contract for the U.S. F-47 sixth-generation fighter, the aircraft is not expected to fly until 2028. China’s J-36 and J-50 prototypes were already conducting flight tests throughout 2024 and into 2025.

“The PRC has demonstrated a notable ability to ‘leapfrog’ over Western industry. They moved from CAD concepts to flying prototypes in a fraction of the time we typically see in the U.S. procurement cycle.”

The Trump administration nominee to lead the Air Force has yet to be confirmed by the Senate, leaving major decisions about NGAD’s future in limbo. Air Force Chief of Staff General David Allvin said in March the new secretary will review the program and determine its path forward.

Complicating matters, technology entrepreneur Elon Musk has publicly criticized manned fighters as obsolete, recently lambasting the F-35 program. As an influential voice in the Trump administration through his Department of Government Efficiency role, Musk’s opposition raises questions about NGAD’s political viability.

China Demonstrates Rapid Development Pace

The Shenyang J-50, also known as the XDS, represents China’s second sixth-generation prototype. While less information is publicly available about the Shenyang design, its concurrent development with the Chengdu aircraft demonstrates China’s multi-track approach to next-generation fighter programs.

Aviation experts note China conducted at least three documented J-36 test flights between December 2024 and March 2025, an unusually rapid testing cadence compared to typical early fighter development timelines. The initial flight strategically occurred on December 26, the birthday of Mao Zedong, underscoring the symbolic importance China places on the program.

The Pentagon report also highlighted China’s progress on the KJ-3000 airborne early warning and control aircraft, which conducted its maiden flight in 2024. The assessment describes it as likely the world’s first AEW&C system to use digital radar with anti-jamming, passive detection and target identification capabilities.

China displayed significant military aviation progress at the 2024 Zhuhai air show, including a two-seat J-20 variant optimized for controlling unmanned aircraft and the J-35A stealth fighter designed for aircraft carrier operations.

Strategic Implications for Indo-Pacific

Admiral Samuel Paparo, top U.S. commander in the Indo-Pacific, warned in February that Chinese military forces are now rehearsing for a campaign to forcibly bring Taiwan under Beijing’s control.

“It’s no longer training, it’s rehearsal.”

Senior officials indicated such a campaign would likely begin with a Chinese blockade of Taiwan, forcing Washington to decide whether to intervene militarily. Such a contingency would test U.S. theories on air superiority against China’s numerically superior and increasingly modern air force.

The People’s Liberation Army Air Force and Navy together operate over 3,150 total aircraft, constituting the largest aviation force in the region and third largest globally. China fields approximately 2,400 combat aircraft, including nearly 200 J-20 stealth fighters compared to 184 F-22s in U.S. Air Force inventory.

China’s ability to field two distinct sixth-generation prototypes simultaneously sets it apart from other nations pursuing next-generation fighters. The UK, Japan and Italy are collaborating on the Global Combat Air Programme targeting 2035 operational capability, while France, Germany and Spain’s Future Combat Air System proceeds at a slower pace.

When America’s most sophisticated fighter program sits grounded by budget debates while China’s prototypes fill the skies, is the technological edge that has underpinned U.S. military dominance for decades slipping away?

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