The new video of China’s tailless, three-engine fighter jet caused a stir in the military aviation community. This new aircraft, named J-36, could potentially bring China to the level of the United States in the race to produce sixth-generation fighter jets, or even surpass it.

New footage emerged showcasing one of China’s three-engine, tailless futuristic fighter jets known as J-36. It is unclear when the footage was captured, but the aircraft can be seen flying over a highway near the runway of the Chengdu Aircraft Industry Group factory in Sichuan province. The images of J-36 initially surfaced on Chinese social media late last year, quickly grabbing the attention of aircraft enthusiasts and military analysts. The jet is believed to be a sixth-generation aircraft encompassing the latest stealth technology, power units, and body engineering.

With the J-36, China could potentially reach the same level as the United States or even surpass it in the race to produce sixth-generation fighter jets. Currently, the U.S. military’s fifth-generation jets – the dual-engine F-22 and single-engine F-35 – are generally considered the best in the world. However, China also has two fifth-generation models, the J-20 and J-35, yet none of these Chinese jets have proven combat experience and effectiveness like the two U.S. fighter jets. Last month, U.S. President Donald Trump announced that a contract had been signed with Boeing for the sixth-generation fighter jet, F-47, for the U.S. Air Force. Trump mentioned that the aircraft’s prototype has been flying for five years.

While China’s J-36 made headlines in the military aviation world this week, it appears that Beijing is not only working on this single sixth-generation jet. The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) has not officially disclosed the existence of the J-36 or J-50 yet. It could take years from the conceptual stage of a fighter jet to its public unveiling and deployment. The J-35 was first unveiled at the China Airshow in Zhuhai last November, but analysts suggest that the aircraft took over a decade to develop.