China's alleged sixth-gen fighter maiden flight raises global competition concerns

The new Chinese fighter appears to feature design elements similar to proposed U.S. sixth-generation fighters, such as a tailless structure and diamond-shaped wings. However, details on its capabilities remain scarce.

China's progress in this field may highlight its technological advancements compared to Russia and its narrowing gap with the United States. The U.S., which introduced fifth-generation fighters with the F-22 Raptor in 2005, still faces challenges with Russia struggling to produce fifth-generation Su-57 Felon fighters.

Notable non-Chinese sixth-generation programs include the U.S. Air Force's NGAD initiative, the Navy's F/A-XX project, and the Anglo-Japanese-Italian Tempest/GCAP program. France and Germany are working on their FACS fighter but are reportedly behind these efforts.

Additionally, China is rapidly expanding its military capabilities beyond aircraft development. Its carrier fleet has grown significantly with vessels like Type 001 Liaoning and Type 002 Shandong derived from Soviet designs and now features an indigenous Type 003 Fujian supercarrier under trials.

Simultaneously, China has introduced its fifth-generation J-35 variant intended for carrier operations though its service entry date remains unknown.