Videos allegedly showing China’s sixth-generation stealth fighter AVIC Baidi Type-B, known as the White Emperor, for the first time have surfaced online.
The Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC) fighters would make the country the second or first in the world to deploy a sixth-generation fighter. The AVIC unveiled a mock-up of the fighter in November 2024 at the Zhuhai airshow.
The fighter’s characteristics match some of the US sixth-generation models, a tailless aircraft with diamond-shaped wings. The capabilities of the Baidi are unknown, as China maintains a policy of secrecy over its military developments. Beijing plans for its sixth-generation fighter to enter service around 2035.
China is making rapid progress in many other military sectors. In just a few years, Beijing completed the construction of an old Soviet Kuznetsov-class aircraft carrier, which became the Type 001 Liaoning. It was then modernised into the Type 002 Shandong.
The country was also spotted building a naval nuclear reactor, believed to be used for the next aircraft carrier. In addition, the country unveiled its fifth-generation J-35, which is also believed to be designed for a new fleet of aircraft carriers.
The test of the new fighter jet allows China to compete with other leaders in air dominance.
