CDS Gen Anil Chauhan raises question mark over Chinese 6th gen fighter aircraft claims

Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Anil Chauhan on Wednesday raised doubts over the claimed capabilities of Chinese sixth-generation fighter aircraft saying that they are still in the developmental stage.

Asked about the Chinese sixth-generation fighter jet claims, CDS Chauhan told ANI that a large number of countries are pursuing a sixth-generation program and it is his personal belief that all of them are some distance away.

He further pointed out that the showcase of these technologies might be a part of the tactics of the countries.

Speaking to ANI, Gen Chauhan said, “It’s very difficult to see these kinds of platforms with six-generation capability. What we are talking about is by external viewing of an aircraft and that too with a few seconds clip which will not give you an idea that this is six generation aircraft. In fact, a large number of countries are pursuing a six-generation program and that’s my personal belief that all of them are some distance away…. But sometime back we had heard about the capabilities of WS 10 or WS 15 engines which are there on 5th generation aircraft for the Chinese.”

“Sometime back, we had also heard about Chinese hiring a number of ex-pilots of the American and the British Air Force. They wanted to refine their drills and their systems, so they just show that they’re still in that kind of a development stage. Not only as far as technology is concerned, but also tactics is concerned. So we are there. We have a program for AMCA that’s a 5th generation fighter, so that’s somewhere down the line. But we are there,” he added.

Stating his understanding of sixth-generation aircraft, the Chief of Defence Staff said that a sixth-generation aircraft is a platform which can perform both manned and unmanned teaming.

He said, “My understanding of a sixth generation aircraft is that there is no proper globally accepted definition of what a sixth generation aircraft is. Basically, a sixth generation aircraft is a platform which can perform both manned and unmanned teaming. It is kind of an aerial command post which can take control of 2-3 similar kinds of assets, maybe UAVs, maybe drones which are sound drones and then put a combat in a different kind of a manner.”

CDS Chauhan further stated that the sixth-generation aircraft would involve a number of technologies, networks, data analytics and artificial intelligence to give better decision-making ability to the pilot during combat.

“So that’s the kind of concept of six-generation and it involves number of technologies. It will involve networks, data analytics which will provide that kind of situation awareness to that pilot over there and also command and control of all the assets. He should be able to network himself or spar passage of information through terrestrial or say aerial networks. It will also use artificial intelligence to give him that better decision making ability during combat. It also will have maybe long range smart air-to-air missiles, weapon systems and apart from that stealth technology with self-healing kind of capabilities,” the CDS said.