China unveiled a mockup of the new “White Emperor,” also known as the “Baidi,” at the 2024 Zhuhai Airshow, which aims to showcase Beijing’s technological advances in its aerospace industry.
Again, to be very clear, this is a mockup, not a working fighter. One word to remember: mockup.
The Baidi is a sixth-generation fighter jet concept developed by China’s Aviation Industry Corporation (AVIC). It is designed as an integrated space-air fighter. The Baidi is part of the Nantianmen Project, a comprehensive space technology research program that blends imagination with advanced technology. This project, created by AVIC Global, includes many new military concepts, such as the Baidi and Xuannv space fighters.
Is China Taking a Page Out of Ronald Reagan’s Playbook?
China’s threat is real. It has rapidly expanded its military and advanced exponentially in naval and air forces in record time.
However, some skeptics believe that China is merely playing games with the US to make it appear closer to the sixth-generation air/space fighter than it is.
During the Cold War, Ronald Reagan broke the Soviet Union by getting the Soviets to jump into trying to build so many new weapons programs to keep up with the US that it bankrupted their economy.
With an already overbloated national budget, the US is $36 trillion in debt. Although Elon Musk is finding more and more wasteful spending, there is a lot more to be done. Is Xi Jinping playing the same game by showcasing a fighter who is more bluff than real?
If that is the case, then China is playing the US, and we’ve fallen into the same trick that the Soviet Union did during the Reagan years.
However, the Baidi flew for the first time in late December alongside the fifth-generation J-20 Mighty Dragon fighter.
A Look At The White Emperor Fighter
The mockup – and again, to be clear, it is just a mockup – shown in China is undoubtedly impressive. The White Emperor has a tailless, diamond-shaped airframe and wings. The Baidi has improved stealth features built-in to avoid radar detection. The weapons bay has been elongated to accommodate nuclear-tipped hypersonic missiles.
This design would put China far ahead of the U.S. Air Force’s Next-Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) fighter program, which will be its main competitor in a future combat scenario.
Unlike the NGAD, anti-satellite weapons, nuclear-capable hypersonic missiles, and even directed-energy (laser) systems, the Baidi is designed for near-space altitude operations. It is the second sixth-generation aircraft to fly after the B-21 Raider stealth bomber.
“The jet also seems to be equipped with side and upper air intakes, a dual-bogey main undercarriage and split airbrakes or flaperons, which indicate its advanced aerodynamic and performance features,” according to the EurAsian Times.
White Emperor: Built For Speed and Stealth
The sleek and aerodynamic lines highlight the PLAAF’s prioritization of stealth technology: “The fighter’s pointed, rounded nose is meticulously engineered to slice through the air with minimal turbulence, while its overall shape seamlessly blends into the sky. The aircraft’s cockpit canopy features a dark, multi-sectional design, likely layered to reduce reflective signatures.”
With the airframe’s diamond-shaped design, the Baidi is built for speed.
Chengdu Aerospace’s chief designer estimated early in 2024 that Beijing could field an operational sixth-generation platform by 2035. However, the aircraft was actually shown flying in late December, suggesting that the timeline may have accelerated.
Until the flight of the Baidi, it was thought that the Air Force’s NGAD fighter was further along in development than China’s aircraft. Now, that theory is put to the test as well.
The NGAD Is Stuck in Time. Could DOGE Cancel It?
The exorbitant cost of building the NGAD, estimated at about $300 million per plane, put the development on hold until the Trump administration joined the project.
With Pete Hegseth just coming on board as the new Defense Secretary, this will be an important decision to make. The NGAD could get canceled due to cost-cutting efforts from Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency.
That is a lot to pay for one aircraft. Is it worth it?
NGAD: Mock Up Photo Essay
Image: Lockheed Martin showing a refueling NGAD fighter.
An artist illustration depicts a U.S. Air Force extended-range B-21 Raider escorted on a mission by armed unmanned next generation air dominance platforms. This fictional bomber features longer, wider wings, and a deeper fuselage that accommodates larger fuel tanks and dual weapons bays that enables the bomber to carry a much larger and varied payload. Mike Tsukamoto/staff; Greg Davis/USAF
NGAD 6th Generation Fighter: Original artwork courtesy of Rodrigo Avella. Follow him on Instagram for more incredible aviation renders.
By: Image Credit: Rodrigo Avella
NGAD artist concept from Northrop Grumman.
About the Author: Steve Balestrieri
Steve Balestrieri is a 19FortyFive National Security Columnist. He served as a US Army Special Forces NCO and Warrant Officer. In addition to writing for 19FortyFive, he covers the NFL for PatsFans.com and is a member of the Pro Football Writers of America (PFWA). His work was regularly featured in many military publications.
