As footage and images of what might 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.
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A mysterious aircraft bearing 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 on Chinese social media.
While the jet – speculated by observers to feature cutting-edge stealth and endurance capabilities – has yet to be officially identified or named, a provincial newspaper made reference to the aircraft.
“It really looks like a leaf,” the Chengdu-based Defence Times wrote on its Weibo account alongside an image of a ginkgo leaf.
The post quickly circulated across social media and was widely interpreted as a semi-official acknowledgement of the new fighter jet.
The test flight coincided with the birthday of Mao Zedong, 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.
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