The United States Air Force is continuing developments on its Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) fighter jet, Newsweek learned on Thursday, following the emergence of footage of two new Chinese combat aircraft prototypes.
Newsweek has reached out to the Chinese Defense Ministry for comment by email.
Why It Matters
According to images and videos circulated on social media, China, which is increasingly challenging U.S. military dominance, revealed a pair of sixth-generation aircraft prototypes on Boxing Day—the birthday of late Chinese leader Mao Zedong.
The NGAD fighter jet is intended to replace the F-22 Raptor, a fifth-generation stealth combat aircraft that has been in service with the U.S. Air Force since the early 2000s. It was revealed in September 2020 that an NGAD demonstrator had been built and flown.
Fifth-generation aircraft incorporate stealth technology, which makes them less visible to radar detection, with sixth-generation aircraft incorporating further technological advances.
It was announced earlier in December that decisions on the future of the NGAD program have been deferred to the incoming Trump administration.
What To Know
"The Department of the Air Force continues technology maturation and risk reduction for the Next Generation Air Dominance program to further mature designs and systems," a U.S. Air Force official responded to Newsweek's request for comment via email on Thursday.
This is in line with an earlier announcement, in which the Air Force said it had extended NGAD contracts to further mature designs and systems. The presumed competitors for the program are Boeing and Lockheed Martin, Air & Space Forces Magazine reported.
Regarding the emergence of Chinese next-generation combat aircraft and their flights, the Pentagon said it was aware of the reports, referring to its annual report on Chinese military power that was released last week, according to Brian Everstine from Aviation Week.
The report assessed that the Chinese military has the largest aviation forces in the Indo-Pacific region and the third largest in the world, with more than 3,150 aircraft in service, including approximately 2,400 combat aircraft, capable of projecting long-range airpower.
The Chinese air force currently operates a single type of fifth-generation fighter jet, the J-20, which is comparable to the F-22. The Pentagon said the aircraft is being prepared for upgrades, which may include increasing the number of air-to-air missiles it can carry.
Two new Chinese stealth combat aircraft were unveiled at an air show in in November, including a twin-seat version of the J-20, as well as the J-35A, which shares some similarities in design with the F-35A, the second stealth fighter jet of the U.S. Air Force.
What People Are Saying
Tyler Rogoway and Thomas Newdick wrote in an article for website The War Zone: "One key player in the incoming Trump administration has already lambasted manned fighters as yesterday's weapon. Elon Musk, who has been a strong proponent of advanced uncrewed air combat systems, recently lambasted the F-35. It is unlikely he would support an even more ambitious fighter program [NGAD]."
Euan Graham, a senior analyst at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, told Reuters: "Whatever the merits or demerits, it [the new Chinese combat aircraft] appears to be a highly original design. They deserve kudos for that, and should shake off any lingering complacency that the U.S. and its allies always set the pace."
What Happens Next
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. pic.twitter.com/d42NhZmdPv
— @Rupprecht_A (@RupprechtDeino) December 26, 2024The Chinese military has yet to comment on the next-generation aircraft prototypes as of Friday. It remains to be seen whether the aircraft will conduct further flight tests that may reveal details of their designs, including a possible unusual three-engine configuration.
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