New Chinese fighter jet spotted over Chengdu tacitly confirmed by military

On December 27, 2024By Littum

As footage and photos of what may have been the maiden flight of China’s sixth-generation fighter jet went viral on Thursday, the country’s official military media appeared to tacitly confirm the rumours.

A mystery plane with a triangular tailless design was seen flying over Chengdu in southwestern Sichuan province in broad daylight, flanked by a fifth-generation J-20 fighter jet, according to videos shared in Chinese social media.

While the jet – which observers speculate has cutting-edge stealth and endurance capabilities – has yet to be officially identified or named, a provincial newspaper referred to the aircraft.

“It really looks like a blade,” wrote the Chengdu-based Defense Times on it Weibo account next to a picture of a ginkgo leaf.

The post quickly circulated on social media and was widely interpreted as a semi-official recognition of the new fighter jet.

An image posted online approximates the shape of the sixth-generation fighter. Photo: Weibo/前HR person

The test flight coincided with the birthday of Mao Zedong, the founder of the People’s Republic of China. Many Chinese netizens commemorated Mao on social media, with some viewing the flight as a symbolic tribute to the former leader.