A few weeks ago, China reportedly unveiled its sixth-generation fighter jet, which combines stealth with huge payload capacity, indicating that the development of what is known among the defence community as J-36 would trigger an arms race.
China is expected to field the first sixth-generation fighter by 2030, even as India's fifth-generation Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) is likely to be inducted only by 2035.
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However, Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan noted that India has no reason to worry as the sixth-generation fighter jet of China is still in the developmental stages.
He pointed out that various countries are pursuing the sixth-generation programme, but he believes that all of them are some distance away. He told news agency ANI, “It is very difficult to see these kinds of platforms with six-generation capability. What we are talking about is external viewing of an aircraft, and that too with a few seconds clip, which will not give you an idea that this is a six-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
CDS Chauhan was referring to the video clips and images of a tailless stealth combat jet, believed to be a sixth-generation fighter, conducting a daytime test flight possibly at the Chengdu Aircraft Corporation (CAC) factory airfield. The aircraft, believed to be at least as long as the 70-feet J-20, was spotted alongside a J-20S.
Pointing out that there is no proper globally accepted definition of what a sixth-generation fighter jet is, CDS Chauhan said, “Basically, a sixth-generation aircraft is a platform which can perform both manned and unmanned teaming. It is kind of an aerial command post which can take control of two to three similar kinds of assets, maybe UAVs, maybe drones which are sound drones and then put combat in a different kind of a manner.”
According to him, sixth-gen fighters would have a number of technologies, artificial intelligence capabilities, data and networks to provide situational awareness, enabling better decision-making abilities for a pilot during combat.
In fact, Director General of the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) Jitendra Jadhav had recently said India's fifth-generation AMCA will have various sixth-gen capabilities embedded into it.
