China’s 6th Gen Fighter Jet: Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Anil Chauhan questioned China’s claim about having a sixth-generation fighter aircraft. He said these advanced aircraft are still in the development stage. According to Hindustan Times, he also mentioned that many countries are working on sixth-generation fighter jets, but in his opinion, they are still far from being fully developed.
Chauhan pointed out that some nations might use such technological claims as part of their strategy. He explained, “It is not easy to confirm whether an aircraft truly has sixth-generation capabilities. What we see in short video clips does not provide enough proof.”
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He added, “Many countries are working on sixth-generation fighter aircraft, but I believe they are not close to completing them yet. A while ago, we also heard about China’s WS-10 and WS-15 engines, which are used in their fifth-generation aircraft.”
#WATCH | Bengaluru | Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Anil Chauhan says, “My understanding of a sixth generation aircraft is that there is no proper globally accepted definition of what a sixth generation aircraft is. Basically, a sixth generation aircraft is a platform which… pic.twitter.com/DZBcCWUxhU
— ANI (@ANI) February 12, 2025
Chauhan further explained that experts have not agreed on a proper global definition for a sixth-generation fighter jet. He said, “A sixth-generation aircraft is one that can work both with a human pilot and also operate in a team with unmanned aircraft. It can control multiple drones or similar aircraft, making air combat very different from before.”
He also mentioned that these advanced aircraft would use artificial intelligence, data analytics, and high-tech networks to help pilots make better decisions in combat.
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In December, images of a supposed Chinese sixth-generation fighter jet went viral on social media. Some defence experts noted that the designs looked advanced, but there was not enough information to confirm if the aircraft truly had sixth-generation technology.
China’s defence ministry did not respond to questions about the aircraft. The US Department of Defense said they were aware of the reports but did not add anything beyond what was mentioned in their annual report on China’s military development.
