New footage has emerged of the largest of China’s two new tailless stealth fighters, widely referred to as the J-36, although the designation remains unconfirmed. The video in question is perhaps the most impressive view of the aircraft so far and shows the unique three-engine jet on final approach to land at its maker’s factory airfield in the province of Sichuan in southwestern China. We don’t know for sure when the footage dates from, but it’s the latest evidence of the progress being made in the testing of both this and China’s other tailless stealth fighter, an aircraft which you can read more about here.
Meanwhile, you can read our highly detailed analysis of both of these aircraft in this special feature.
The latest video comes after a relative flurry of recent imagery showing the J-36, following its apparent first flight on December 26, and a second appearance last month. The footage is notable, however, for the fact that we see the aircraft at unusually close quarters, as it sweeps low over a freeway just outside the airfield perimeter. Filmed from inside a car, the J-36 is seen as it prepares to touch down, with its heavy-duty landing gear, which features twin wheels on each unit, deployed and with its large twin split ruddervons, working as stabilizing airbrakes, also clearly visible.
The video provides what’s probably our best view so far of the J-36’s cockpit area, which is notably streamlined with the top mold line of the forward fuselage. Combined with the aircraft’s very broad nose section, this strongly appears to indicate a side-by-side seating arrangement, with a single pilot’s helmet or ejection seat headrest visible. This seems to rule out a tandem two-seat configuration and a single-pilot cockpit is also remains a possibility.
In the side view of the jet provided in the video, we also get another good look at the dorsal engine air intake and its apparent diverterless supersonic inlet (DSI) design, with a prominent hump and forward-raked upper area. As the jet gets closer to the runway, the camera also gets a good view of the exhausts for its three engines, a unique powerplant arrangement for a modern combat jet.
The J-36 also wears some kind of splinter-type camouflage scheme, with distinct lighter-looking panels around the dorsal intake, and aft of it. This is a feature that was visible in previous, much poorer-quality images showing the upper surfaces of the aircraft. Some kind of mirror-like coating, the like of which we have seen on all of America’s stealthy tactical jets for testing purposes, should not be ruled out, either. Meanwhile, lighter-colored areas on portions of the leading edges of the wings indicate the likely presence of apertures for electro-optical/infrared sensors.
The video has already been geolocated, confirming that it shows the Chengdu Aircraft Corporation (CAC) factory airfield in the city of the same name, in Sichuan province, where the jet was first sighted back in December.
While the location of the factory airfield means flight testing is conducted in view of the public, this was also the case for the J-20 stealth fighter, prototypes of which have been seen making the exact same approach as the J-36.
As we have observed in the past, in December, the airfield has also received a new shelter large enough to accommodate the aircraft on the flight-test line where aircraft a readied for sorties. This means the J-36 can at least be prepared for flight and undergo final checks while hidden from onlookers and satellites. A similar structure, with an access-controlled barrier around it, also appeared on the airfield’s primary apron last summer.
A series of tweets showing imagery of the J-36 that has appeared since its apparent second appearance on March 17:
While the latest video of the J-36 on approach to the Chengdu Aircraft Corporation provides us with our best view so far of this still-enigmatic aircraft, the sheer quantity of imagery of the jet that has emerged in the last month or so points to a notable ramping up of test flying activity. As long as this goes on, new secrets about this intriguing design will surely be revealed.
Contact the author: thomas@thewarzone.com
