A groundbreaking Chinese combat aircraft featuring an innovative diamond-wing design and no vertical tails was spotted in flight over populated areas on December 26, 2024, marking a major leap in China's aerospace capabilities.
The mysterious aircraft, captured in numerous social media photos and videos, displays several cutting-edge features including three engines fed by a combination of dorsal and ventral inlets. The design incorporates stealth elements, with split rudders similar to those found on the B-2 bomber handling directional control.
Military experts suggest this could be the anticipated J/H-XX "regional bomber," designed for precision strikes across the Indo-Pacific region. The aircraft's substantial ventral fuselage section hints at an internal weapons bay, while its dual-wheel main landing gear configuration points to a heavy fighter-bomber role.
A second unidentified combat aircraft also emerged in social media posts the same day, showcasing a more conventional fighter design with a cranked arrow wing layout and possible folding tail fins.
The timing of these revelations appears deliberate, coinciding with both the 13th anniversary of China's J-20 stealth fighter rollout and the birthday of Chinese Communist Party founder Mao Zedong.
While Chinese officials have not officially acknowledged these aircraft, their public display aligns with known development programs, including work on the H-20 stealth bomber, JH-XX fighter-bomber, and a sixth-generation fighter project.
This unveiling demonstrates China's growing confidence in its aerospace industry and its advancing military technological capabilities, potentially reshaping the balance of air power in the Asia-Pacific region.