Overview

• Leaked social media imagery from early August reveals a third distinct tailless stealth prototype undergoing flight testing with no official confirmation of its designation or operational status.
• Photos show a sharp-edged delta wing, blended fuselage, absence of vertical stabilizers, twin engine inlets and a slender nose that suggest a focus on stealth and extended range.
• Observers debate whether the new platform is a crewed sixth-generation fighter, a large unmanned combat aerial vehicle or an optionally piloted system.
• This sighting brings to at least three the number of tailless demonstrators flown since late 2024, highlighting a high-tempo prototyping cycle in China’s aerospace modernization program.
• Open-source analysts suggest the prototypes could form part of a People’s Liberation Army Air Force initiative to deploy ‘loyal wingman’ drones or strike escorts alongside future stealth fighters.