Latest news with #J-50
India.com
05-07-2025
- Business
- India.com
US spending huge amount of money on this deadly fighter jet, announces budget of Rs…, to give tough competition to China J-36, J-50, it is capable of…., name is..
The United States has always been determined to remain the world's leading military and technology superpower. It will never allow China to become a superpower, especially with sophisticated defense technology. As tensions escalate and China intensifies its military capabilities, specifically with air combat systems, the U.S. has started to fight back. In a bold move to stay ahead of China in the development of air combat systems, the Trump administration committed significant funding toward the F-47 sixth-generation fighter—a next-generation aircraft that will rule the skies for decades to come. The advanced jet will be developed under the Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) program, which aims to keep the U.S. well ahead of advancements like the J-36 and J-50 by China. On June 10, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth spoke to Congress and described the F-47 project as 'decisive for future wars,' highlighting that this investment is not simply a technological effort, but a key pillar of national security. This bold move comes in direct response to China's recent developments with its air power, particularly advancements in fighter jets like the J-36 and J-50. The message is unmistakable, in the coming years, air dominance will be critical to all balance in international geopolitics. The F-47 is being developed as a genuine sixth-generation fighter — not just any fighter, but a 'smart warrior' in the air. This is like a flying supercomputer, built to think faster and smarter than anyone else. The contract has been awarded by the United States to Boeing, and the F-47 will be the next iteration after the F-22 Raptor. It has a major design emphasis on reduced radar cross section (stealth), next-gen adaptive-cycle engine technologies for increased range and speed while denying enemy radar through a combination of flying characteristics, several levels of AI-assisted functionality, and other stealth technology. What's really exciting is Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) capabilities. The joint operations of F-47 and autonomous drones that act as 'wingmen,' are intended to operate [as separate mission sets — surveillance, electronic warfare — or surgical strikes.] In short, the F-47 will not just be a fighter jet; it will be a fighter squadron all by itself, and a force multiplier. The main motivation for the U.S. developing its sixth-generation fighter jet is to keep China from achieving air superiority at all costs. Intelligence reports indicate that China's new advanced jets, the J-36 and J-50, have already begun flight training programs by late 2024. It is currently multi-role reconnaissance in flight. Reports suggest that the J-36 has a tri-jet configuration, a tailless double delta wing design, and weight capacity to operate in distance. The J-36 has not only stealth technology, but may also have electronic warfare and possibly laser defense. The J-50 has thrust vectoring engines and compact design suitable for carriers, making it deployable on the next generation of Chinese aircraft carriers. The F-47 fighter is being deliberately built for A2/AD (Anti-Access/Area Denial) conditions—areas with enemy air defense systems so effective that traditional manned aircraft can't even get there. The F-47 will be armed with stealth capabilities, AI-enabled decision making, and supercruise capability. The F-47 will be able penetrate complex hostile A2/AD environments, and blow stuff up close up. Our fusion engine will enable longer ranges, faster speeds, and better thermal management. This means it can fly further using less fuel, thus avoiding radar detection, and make better decisions faster in combat. In important areas like the Indo-Pacific region, the F-47 will give the U.S. military a distinct advantage against China in their ability to provide forward basing and power projection, which is necessary in ensuring dominance.
Yahoo
09-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Analysis-Trump's vision for a twin-engine F-55 fighter jet faces reality check
By Mike Stone WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. President Donald Trump's vision of a new, twin-engine version of Lockheed Martin's F-35 fighter jet may need to be scaled back due to cost and engineering realities, according to two people familiar with the matter. Speaking in Doha last month, Trump said the new "F-55" would feature "two engines and a super upgrade on the F-35." However, there is a caveat, with Trump saying, "if we get the right price." Trump was not shown a twin-engine redesign of the F-35, the two sources said, speaking on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter. Developing such a jet would require an extensive overhaul, running into billions of dollars and taking years to complete, the sources said. Lockheed Martin had briefed Trump on a possible upgrade to the F-35 during multiple meetings before the Doha event, the people said. The proposal included just one "advanced" engine, a redesigned nose and forward fuselage, and a new sensor suite. Trump's reference to the "F-55" - the designator of the jet - caught officials and industry insiders off guard, particularly the mention of twin engines, a feature Trump has said he prefers for safety in case one engine fails. Lockheed is exploring the development of two new fighter jet variations, according to industry experts and the two sources. The proposed F-55 emerges against a backdrop of intensifying global competition in military aviation. China continues rapid development of its J-36 and J-50 stealth fighters, while Russia advances its Su-57 program despite economic constraints. After Doha, Lockheed acknowledged Trump's comments with measured enthusiasm, stating, "We thank President Trump for his support of the F-35 and F-22 and will continue to work closely with the Administration to realize its vision for air dominance." A Wall Street analyst tracking what might replace Lockheed Martin's F-35, said "it sounds like Trump has asked DoD to consider a twin-engine variant of the F-35 'if we get the right price,'" according to a note from TD Cowen. TWO ENGINES? Shifting the F-55 to two engines would initiate a costly and lengthy redesign of the F-35's airframe - and while it would make the jet fast, it would delay production by years, industry experts and one of the people said. Lockheed CEO James Taiclet had told investors in an April call that the company was exploring a "fifth-generation-plus" fighter concept that would apply technologies developed for its unsuccessful F-47 bid to enhance the F-35 platform. These new technologies would make it much harder to export the F-55, the people said, adding that they are still highly controlled. "We're basically going to take the chassis and turn it into a Ferrari," Taiclet told analysts in April, claiming such an approach could deliver 80% of next-generation capability at half the cost. Boeing beat out Lockheed to win the contract for Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD), now named the F-47 which will be America's first sixth-generation fighter and intended to replace Lockheed Martin's F-22 Raptor. PRODUCTION Because Lockheed lost the NGAD competition it is able to leverage its production plans for new jets. Lockheed had production spaces already lined up, the people said, and the president was made aware the company was poised to move ahead. "Lockheed is much further along than he realized," one of the people said. The timing of the F-55 announcement raises questions about how it fits into existing defense procurement plans and budgets. The Pentagon is already managing multiple high-cost aviation programs, including the ongoing F-35 program, the new F-47 development, and potentially the Navy's next generation carrier-based fighter jet - F/A-XX. For Lockheed Martin, the F-55 concept represents a critical opportunity to maintain relevance in the high-end fighter market after significant setbacks in next-generation competitions. Boeing's NGAD, which was just awarded and therefore is not in mass production yet, is expected to eclipse the F-22's capabilities, and so would F-55, the person said, making it a formidable fighter jet.
Yahoo
09-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Analysis-Trump's vision for a twin-engine F-55 fighter jet faces reality check
By Mike Stone WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. President Donald Trump's vision of a new, twin-engine version of Lockheed Martin's F-35 fighter jet may need to be scaled back due to cost and engineering realities, according to two people familiar with the matter. Speaking in Doha last month, Trump said the new "F-55" would feature "two engines and a super upgrade on the F-35." However, there is a caveat, with Trump saying, "if we get the right price." Trump was not shown a twin-engine redesign of the F-35, the two sources said, speaking on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter. Developing such a jet would require an extensive overhaul, running into billions of dollars and taking years to complete, the sources said. Lockheed Martin had briefed Trump on a possible upgrade to the F-35 during multiple meetings before the Doha event, the people said. The proposal included just one "advanced" engine, a redesigned nose and forward fuselage, and a new sensor suite. Trump's reference to the "F-55" - the designator of the jet - caught officials and industry insiders off guard, particularly the mention of twin engines, a feature Trump has said he prefers for safety in case one engine fails. Lockheed is exploring the development of two new fighter jet variations, according to industry experts and the two sources. The proposed F-55 emerges against a backdrop of intensifying global competition in military aviation. China continues rapid development of its J-36 and J-50 stealth fighters, while Russia advances its Su-57 program despite economic constraints. After Doha, Lockheed acknowledged Trump's comments with measured enthusiasm, stating, "We thank President Trump for his support of the F-35 and F-22 and will continue to work closely with the Administration to realize its vision for air dominance." A Wall Street analyst tracking what might replace Lockheed Martin's F-35, said "it sounds like Trump has asked DoD to consider a twin-engine variant of the F-35 'if we get the right price,'" according to a note from TD Cowen. TWO ENGINES? Shifting the F-55 to two engines would initiate a costly and lengthy redesign of the F-35's airframe - and while it would make the jet fast, it would delay production by years, industry experts and one of the people said. Lockheed CEO James Taiclet had told investors in an April call that the company was exploring a "fifth-generation-plus" fighter concept that would apply technologies developed for its unsuccessful F-47 bid to enhance the F-35 platform. These new technologies would make it much harder to export the F-55, the people said, adding that they are still highly controlled. "We're basically going to take the chassis and turn it into a Ferrari," Taiclet told analysts in April, claiming such an approach could deliver 80% of next-generation capability at half the cost. Boeing beat out Lockheed to win the contract for Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD), now named the F-47 which will be America's first sixth-generation fighter and intended to replace Lockheed Martin's F-22 Raptor. PRODUCTION Because Lockheed lost the NGAD competition it is able to leverage its production plans for new jets. Lockheed had production spaces already lined up, the people said, and the president was made aware the company was poised to move ahead. "Lockheed is much further along than he realized," one of the people said. The timing of the F-55 announcement raises questions about how it fits into existing defense procurement plans and budgets. The Pentagon is already managing multiple high-cost aviation programs, including the ongoing F-35 program, the new F-47 development, and potentially the Navy's next generation carrier-based fighter jet - F/A-XX. For Lockheed Martin, the F-55 concept represents a critical opportunity to maintain relevance in the high-end fighter market after significant setbacks in next-generation competitions. Boeing's NGAD, which was just awarded and therefore is not in mass production yet, is expected to eclipse the F-22's capabilities, and so would F-55, the person said, making it a formidable fighter jet.
Yahoo
07-06-2025
- Yahoo
This Could Be Our Best View Yet Of China's J-36 Very Heavy Stealth Tactical Jet
A new image appearing to show China's 'J-36' 6th generation tactical jet parked on the ground has emerged online. If legitimate, this would be the best front view of the aircraft to date, notably providing clear proof of the canopy design and further confirmation of a side-by-side seating arrangement. What looks to be three open ventral weapons bays, along with nearby personnel, underscore the design's large size — something of a hybrid between a very heavy fighter and a tactical bomber. You can read more about what is already known about the J-36, as well as the second of China's 6th generation jets, referred to variously as the J-XDS or J-50, in this past in-depth feature. It is immediately worth noting that there are some visual anomalies in the image in question, which is seen at the top of this story and in various parts below, and was clearly taken with a long lens at a distance, low over the ground. Most significantly, areas around the rear end of the aircraft and its dorsal inlet look as though they may have been 'smudged' or 'cloned out' to some degree. This 'missing area' behind the dorsal inlet could also just be glare from a lighter-colored section of the aircraft camouflage paint scheme, or some combination of the two, but it is hard to say definitively. The main gear area — especially the right side of the image) appears to be manipulated or there is something placed there in the shadows. The image is also a picture taken of another picture on a computer monitor, which could cause some visual distortions. In addition, many phone cameras now produce images that are 'enhanced' by default. At the same time, overall, the core image does look legitimate. In addition, the background aligns with an area around an extended-width shelter, and especially the distinctive white slatted jet-blast barrier built behind it. The shelter first appeared at the Chengdu Aircraft Corporation's main plant in the Chinese city of the same name last December. That was when the J-36, together with the J-XDS/J-50, first broke cover. Chengdu is understood to be the developer of the J-36, and the aircraft been observed flying from there on multiple occasions in the past six months. Another secure hangar on the main ramp appears to have been built to support the program, as well. If the image is indeed real, it would fully put to rest the question of whether or not the J-36 has at least a two-seat side-by-side cockpit configuration akin to the U.S.-made F-111 or the Soviet-designed Su-34. The green-tinted reflections from two separate heads-up displays (HUDs) are plainly visible, as seen below. TWZ has previously noted that a crew of two seems most likely to meet the demands of the jet's expected mission sets, as you can read more about more in this past feature. Also, perhaps of the highest interest at this stage, is the very strong evidence, based on the open doors that are visible, of the presence of two smaller weapons bays that flank the jet's large ventral weapons bay. There does not appear to be any confusion between those bay doors and the ones for the aircraft's landing gear. Previous underside views of the J-36 have shown large, molded, outward-hinging doors for the aircraft's large tandem-wheel main landing gear, as well as two smaller doors for the nose gear bay. The possibility of additional weapons bays within the J-36's fuselage to either side of the main bay has been raised in the past, but there has been no clear evidence of that in the past. TWZ has previously highlighted the significant internal volume, overall, that the J-36 clearly has, and the implications thereof, writing: 'The semi-blended ventral central fuselage area has some similarities with the J-20, notably its weapons bay configuration. While the aircraft clearly has a very large internal volume, putting a bit of a bias on fuel fraction over magazine depth would be a good assumption. A weapons bay somewhat longer, but far deeper than that found on the J-20 would provide ample space for multiple smaller stores and at least a couple of very large ones. A rotary weapons rack seems questionable, but if it is possible, it would only be advantageous for certain weapons loadouts featuring numerous, smaller munitions. Additional side bays for air-to-air weaponry, as shown by many fan art depictions, may be possible, although there is no clear evidence of them at this time.' The two auxiliary bays would be especially useful for air-to-air missiles and smaller guided air-to-surface weapons, which would allow the cavernous central bay to be reserved for larger loads, including outsized standoff weapons. Before this image, there was only speculation and fleeting evidence that these bays might exist, but now it seems quite likely they do. You can also see these bay doors swing outward, precluding them from being related to the aircraft's main landing gear. In addition, the new head-on image offers another look at the large aperture windows, typically associated with electro-optical/infrared sensors, on either side of the J-36's nose. We also get an additional view of the lower trapezoidal air inlets on either side of J-36's cockpit, as well as the dorsal inlet, which are linked to the aircraft's unique triple-engine configuration. The lower inlets are broadly similar in shape to those found on the U.S. F-22 Raptor stealth fighter. Otherwise, as noted, the view in the newly emerged image underscores the overall size of the J-36, which is itself a very unusual feature of the design. The ground personnel visible provide an additional sense of scale that we've not had previously. China is known to have been pursuing a 'regional bomber' of sorts, sometimes referred to as the JH-XX, at least in the past. It remains unclear whether or not the J-36 is meant to fulfill the JH-XX requirements in any way, or blend them together in some part with a next-generation heavy fighter role. As TWZ previously wrote in our deep-dive feature into what is known about the J-36, and, to a lesser extent, the J-XDS/J-50: 'Similar to the 6th generation definition issue, putting an aircraft like this into a single bucket is challenging just as an observational exercise, and the reality of how China views it could reflect that. Definitively declaring any new highly advanced platform a 'bomber' in 2025 is also an uninformed simplification or just a casual moniker. Just as the B-21 is a multi-role platform, the JH-XX, and even the H-20, would be as well, with the latter's less traditional capabilities possibly expanding more slowly over time. While fine to use casually, the term 'bomber' is now a traditional carry-over that is unrepresentative of what any new long-range, high-end combat aircraft will be capable of.' The new image of the J-36 is the latest in a steady stream of increasingly more interesting visuals of that aircraft, as well as the J-XDS/J-50, which continue to offer more and more insights into both designs. Just in the past week, we had already gotten our first real head-on look at the J-36. This all follows typical trends with regard to 'leaked' imagery of new Chinese aircraft and other military assets, and as we stated in our original analysis, we would likely get an image like this by Summer. More detailed images, as well as one from the rear aspects will surely come. Contact the author: joe@
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
US Navy's new fighter jet threatened by funding dispute, sources say
By Mike Stone WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Navy and Congress are battling with the Trump administration to keep moving forward with a contract award to build the Navy's next-generation fighter jet, according three people with knowledge of the matter. At the heart of the conflict is the F/A-XX program, intended to replace the Navy's aging Boeing F/A-18 Super Hornet fleet with a new carrier-based stealth fighter to be fielded in the 2030s. The Navy had been expected to announce a winner as early as March in a deal that could be worth hundreds of billions of dollars to the winner over its lifetime, but a funding dispute threatens to derail that timeline. While the Navy wants to move forward with awarding a contract, some Pentagon officials are seeking to delay the program by up to three years, the people said, citing concerns about engineering and production capacity. In March, the U.S. Air Force awarded Boeing a contract to make F-47 fighter jets, its version of a 6th generation stealth fighter to replace the 5th generation F-22. The Air Force has said it planned to buy more than 185 of the planes. Boeing and Northrop Grumman remain in competition for the Navy contract, while Reuters reported in March that Lockheed Martin had been eliminated from the contest. A three-year delay for the Navy would effectively cancel the program as it is currently defined, the people said, because contracts and pricing would expire during that time making a new competition almost inevitable. The Navy declined to comment. A Pentagon spokesperson said it did "not comment on internal communications and pre-decisional or deliberative information." The fight over F/A-XX funding highlights broader questions about the future of naval aviation and the role of aircraft carriers in confronting China. Delaying the program could leave the Navy without a modern fighter capable of operating from carriers in the 2030s and beyond, potentially undermining the fleet's ability to project power in contested environments. China has already made test flights of advanced J-50 and J-36 fighters that it calls 6th generation - the same jet a forward deployed U.S. Navy would encounter. "America can't do much with its aircraft carriers in 30 years if it doesn't invest in a next-generation fighter for the Navy," said a U.S. official. "Faster decision-making, extended operational reach, integration with autonomous systems, and maximum lethality are key to the future of air combat, especially in the Indo-Pacific," the official added. The official and the other people declined to be identified due to the sensitivity of the matter. PENTAGON REVIEWS U.S. President Donald Trump's administration is making a push to revamp what the Pentagon buys and how it does so for items ranging from software to jets. Trump adviser Elon Musk has panned crewed fighter jets, calling them "obsolete" as the age of drone warfare dawns. But some defense experts say enemy jamming systems may best the autonomous vehicles, making a human crew necessary in warfare. The Navy currently has around 128 F/A-18 planes that have been in service since the mid-1990s. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's cost assessment office plans to slash funding for the next-generation jet's development by shifting the $454 million that Congress provided for the F/A-XX in the fiscal year 2025 budget to other programs, according to two industry executives and a congressional aide familiar with the matter. The Pentagon is separately preparing to ask Congress not to provide $500 million for the program which it had included in a pending reconciliation bill to help to accelerate the new jet's development, the three sources said. The two separate funding reductions and the potential for a three-year delay to the contract award have not been reported previously. These moves have sparked pushback from the Navy and key members of Congress. Lawmakers are telling the Navy and the Office of the Secretary of Defense: "Don't you dare do this," an industry executive said, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive negotiations. The Pentagon could still alter course on these efforts and adopt Congress' funding guidance, the congressional aide said.
