SOURCE: AFI
At the India Today Conclave 2025, Air Chief Marshal AP Singh, Chief of the Air Staff of the Indian Air Force (IAF), cast skepticism on China’s claims of having flown a sixth-generation fighter jet earlier this year. While acknowledging the rapid advancements in China’s aerospace capabilities, the Air Chief Marshal emphasized that merely flying an airframe does not suffice to classify a jet as a true sixth-generation fighter. His remarks highlight the complexities of defining next-generation fighter capabilities and underscore the need for a deeper understanding of what constitutes a genuine leap in aerial warfare technology.
In early 2025, reports emerged from Chinese state media and aviation circles suggesting that the People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) had conducted the maiden flight of a sixth-generation fighter prototype. The claim, accompanied by limited imagery and vague details, sparked widespread speculation about China’s ambitions to leapfrog ahead of global competitors like the United States, Russia, and Europe in the race for next-generation air dominance. If true, this would mark a significant milestone for China, which has already fielded the J-20, a fifth-generation stealth fighter, and is reportedly developing additional advanced platforms.
However, Air Chief Marshal Singh expressed reservations about the credibility and substance of these claims during his address at the India Today Conclave 2025. “Many have doubts on the Chinese sixth-generation fighter claim that was allegedly flown earlier this year and what all capabilities it has,” he stated. He cautioned against taking such assertions at face value, emphasizing that a sixth-generation fighter must demonstrate a comprehensive suite of capabilities beyond simply achieving flight.
The Air Chief Marshal elaborated on what distinguishes a sixth-generation fighter from its predecessors, underscoring that “just having an airframe flying is not good enough—it should have the capabilities.” While the precise definition of a sixth-generation fighter remains fluid, as no such aircraft has yet entered operational service globally.
Air Chief Marshal Singh’s skepticism suggests that China’s purported sixth-generation prototype may lack some or all of these defining characteristics. Without verifiable details on its systems, performance, and integration, the claim risks being perceived as more of a propaganda effort than a genuine technological breakthrough.
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