New images point to fifth prototype for China’s J-36 fighter jet in air power race with US

Fresh images and footage have emerged of what some observers say may be a fifth prototype of China’s J-36 sixth-generation combat aircraft.If authentic, the images offer new clues about a rapidly evolving design as Beijing races for air superiority in future warfare against rivals such as the United States.The latest footage, circulating since earlier this month, appears to show further changes to the aircraft’s nose, air intakes, engine nozzles and landing gear. This suggests its developer, Chengdu Aircraft Corporation (CAC), is continuing to refine the design through successive prototypes as flight testing accelerates.Andreas Rupprecht, an aviation analyst and expert on China’s air force, said the structural differences between the earliest and latest examples made it unlikely the sightings simply showed a single aircraft being repeatedly modified.“It is still difficult to assess this with any certainty,” he said. “But if one takes the reports from reliable sources as a basis, there is indeed some strong evidence to support it.”