Second J-36 prototype breaks cover

The Chengdu J-36 combat aircraft programme has produced at least two variants. (Janes)

A new version of China's secretive Chengdu J-36 fighter aircraft has flown, revealing several structural changes in comparison with the first prototype, which appeared in 2024.

Images of the new version, which circulated on Chinese social media in October, show the aircraft retains the delta-wing shape, large control surfaces, and the unconventional three-engine configuration of its predecessor, which appeared in December 2024 over the Chinese city of Chengdu. However, grainy photos of the second prototype reveal that it has redesigned side engine intakes, landing gear, and engine nozzles.

The new prototype dispenses with the caret-shaped trapezoidal intakes present on the sides of the first prototype. Instead, the aircraft was equipped with forward-swept engine intakes. However, the images are too low resolution to determine if the redesigned engine intakes are also complemented with diverterless supersonic inlets (DSIs) to control airflow into the engines.

The new aircraft's three engine exhausts are also more angular and recessed in comparison with the original aircraft. The altered design of the nozzles indicates the inclusion of two-dimensional thrust vector control (TVC) paddles. Whether this design change has led to modifications to the J-36's upper airframe is not yet known due to a lack of imagery of the aircraft's dorsal surfaces.

A third major external change involves the aircraft's rear landing gear. The first prototype had its rear wheels arranged in a tandem ‘bogie'-like configuration. The wheels of the second prototype have a more conventional side-by-side layout. This appears to have resulted in a redesigned, smaller-sized landing bay that is almost certainly deeper.

The design changes to the J-36 indicate that the programme is experiencing “good progress”, the state-owned newspaper, Global Times