The crucial race for sixth-generation air dominance is on. But as the US unveils its F-47, China’s J-36 may have already left it in the contrail.
Last week, the US Department of the Air Force awarded Boeing the contract for the Engineering and Manufacturing Development (EMD) phase of the Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) platform.
This program heralds the creation of the F-47, the first sixth-generation fighter aircraft designed to cement US air superiority amid a contested global threat environment.
Launched after a strategic pause in May 2024 to evaluate its alignment with defense needs, the F-47 integrates advanced stealth, sensor fusion and long-range strike capabilities, making it a cornerstone of the NGAD Family of Systems. Leveraging digital engineering and modular design, the F-47 ensures adaptability for emerging technologies.
Officials highlight its unmatched speed, maneuverability, and payload. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth emphasized its role in reinforcing US military power and commitment to allies. US Air Force Chief of Staff General David Allvin declared the F-47 vital to maintaining dominance in aerial warfare for generations.
The program also builds on experimental advancements achieved through five years of research with DARPA’s X-planes. As the EMD phase begins, the contract funds the development of test aircraft and prepares for low-rate initial production, demonstrating a historic investment in innovation and defense. Operational deployment details remain forthcoming.
While the US NGAD announcement may have brought much fanfare in defense circles, it may already be a belated gesture.
In December 2024, China unveiled its J-36, developed by Chengdu Aircraft Corporation. With its tailless, trijet configuration and double-delta wing design, the J-36 represents a significant leap in aviation technology. Measuring approximately 23 meters in length and 19 meters in wingspan, it boasts a substantial wing area of 200 square meters.
The aircraft emphasizes stealth with radar-absorbing materials, flexible skins, and no vertical tail surfaces, reducing radar signature. Its three engines, including a diverterless supersonic inlet, enable supercruise without afterburners, enhancing speed and efficiency.
The J-36 features a 7.6-meter central weapon bay and side bays, supporting a considerable payload capacity, making it a formidable addition to China’s airpower arsenal.
Not to be outdone in terms of fanfare, the South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported this month that China unveiled what analysts believe to be its sixth-generation fighter program, marked by the appearance of a tailless aircraft resembling the J-36, developed by Chengdu Aircraft Industry Group.
This image, featured in a CCTV video commemorating the J-10 jet’s 27th anniversary, suggests an official declaration of the program’s progress. The release coincides strategically with the US announcement of Boeing’s contract to produce the F-47, the centerpiece of the US NGAD program.
To stress the point, SCMP says that China’s J-36 was reportedly spotted on a test flight near Chengdu a few days before the US NGAD announcement. In contrast to the US NGAD, which hasn’t even entered the prototype phase, Newsweek notes that the J-36 has been spotted with a flight data probe on its nose, indicating the type is undergoing initial testing and is still far from serial production.
In an article for the Indo-Pacific Studies Center, Eric Liu and Brandon Tran note that such test flights pressure the US and its allies regarding China’s military modernization. They also note that such progress makes it unclear if the latter is still a “pacing threat” or has already evolved into something more formidable.
As to why China may have beaten the US in sixth-generation fighter development, Abraham Abrams mentions in a January 2025 article for the Aviation Geek Club that China’s rapid development pace and decision-making, as shown by the J-20’s swift progress from demonstrator flight to service, contrasts with the prolonged development of US fighters like the F-35.
Abrams notes that the US NGAD program faces challenges, including high costs and delays and digital assembly technologies that fail to meet expectations. In contrast, he says China unveiled two sixth-generation prototypes in 2024, showcasing its industrial and technological advancements and underscoring its ability to outpace the US in this critical domain.
Sixth-generation aircraft have long been touted as revolutionary in air power circles. In an August 2021 article for the Joint Air Power Competence Center (JAPCC), Raffaele Rossi mentions that the type is designed to surpass fifth-generation capabilities by integrating advanced stealth, hypersonic speeds and AI for enhanced situational awareness and decision-making.
Rossi says sixth-generation aircraft may feature optionally manned configurations, allowing for piloted, remote-controlled or autonomous missions. He mentions they incorporate advanced digital engineering, high-capacity networking and data fusion for real-time battlefield command and control. He says enhanced human-system integration includes virtual cockpits with AI-enhanced awareness.
Moreover, Rossi states that variable-cycle engines provide efficient cruising and high thrust, while advanced stealth reduces radar and infrared signatures. He mentions directed-energy weapons and suborbital flight capabilities as potential features, emphasizing adaptability to future threats and ensuring dominance in the air, space, and cyber domains.
The decision to press on with NGAD development despite ballooning costs reflects the program’s urgency. In a Defense One article this month, Major General Joseph Kunkel mentioned that there is no alternative to achieve air superiority in today’s highly-contested environment. General Kenneth Wilsbach added in the same article that the US cannot sit idly by while China advances its sixth-generation fighter program.
That assessment may have spared the NGAD from Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) scrutiny, unlike the F-35, which was not spared. Musk criticized the F-35 fighter program for its delays, cost overruns and technical flaws, labeling it a “flop” while citing unresolved software issues, cybersecurity vulnerabilities and maintenance inefficiencies.
Musk’s critique also highlighted the F-35’s inability to adapt to evolving threats, contrasting it with the potential of drones to replace manned fighters in modern warfare.
Justin Bronk mentions in an article this month for the Royal United Service Institute (RUSI) that China’s unveiling of its J-36, which demonstrated superior stealth and long-range capabilities alongside its extensive missile arsenals threatening forward bases and refueling tankers near its coastline, makes the NGAD’s unrefueled combat radius exceeding 1,800 kilometers vital.
Bronk says this capability enables operations from safer, defensible bases while reducing reliance on vulnerable tankers. Additionally, he says the NGAD’s stealth and weapon-carrying capacity address challenges posed by Chinese electronic warfare and long-range kill chains, ensuring US air superiority in contested environments.
Yet as the F-47 prepares for takeoff on the drawing board, China’s J-36 may already be streaking through the sky—signaling that the US is no longer setting the pace but struggling to keep up in the race for sixth-generation dominance.
