If I‘m not mistaken, this is the first time we see a Y-20B MRTT with its doors and cargo bay open in flight.

(Images via @齐天的孙猴子 from Weibo)

Interesting artwork showing SAC‘s J-XDS front section … via @钢铁机机 from Weibo

Any idea on the type of aircraft?

Another - and in my opinion mayor surprise 😮 - a YY-20A was spotted with the serial number 11550 in Egypt during the joint China-Egypt exercise „Civilization Eagle“

As such the first tanker within the 4th Transport Division.

(Image via @太湖军I名 from Weibo)

@vcdgf555.bsky.social

Speculation in which way? It is already operational with the latest Y-20B.

Or whether a renumbering has actually taken place ... and the tail unit here suggests the latter.🤔🤔🤔

(Image via @齐天的孙猴子 from Weibo)

@vcdgf555.bsky.social

And once again a gap has been closed 😁... YY-20A with the serial number 20646, which has not yet been confirmed by photo was finally seen.

At the same time, the question arises again as to whether all YY-20A from numbers 20541 to 21040 are genuine and thus there are 50 tanker?

A great image of a naval J-35 in green primer!

Not sure if it is an older image released just now showing one of the prototypes or even a recent one suggesting a LRIP aircraft.

(Image via @太湖军I名 from Weibo)

Great news ... @高山CG on Weibo is working on a CG showing SAC's 6th generation fighter!

In fact I still prefer to use the interim designation J-XDS instead of J-50, which IMO is an unlikely designation.

Cannot wait for the final artwork! 😃

If I'm not mistaken, the this is the first closer - albeit not much clearer - image of a PLAN Naval Aviation or PLAN Marine Corps (?) Z-8D.

(Image via @太湖军I名 from Weibo)

Probably way too hasty, but doesn't this look like a new fighter mock-up on the 004 (?) mock-up in Wuhan?

And it was also visible on the image taken in November. 🤔

The first clearer image of the Fujian‘s deck was released after her return and I would say this clearly looks like landing - at least touch & go - markings on deck!

(Image via @Jsport_三汽 from Weibo)

As expected, the PLANS-18 „Fujian“ has returned from its 6th sea trial.

Interesting, there are several mock-ups visible on deck.

(Image via @琴石2022 from Weibo)

Found this image of XAC at Xi’an-Yanliang on FB but does anyone know when it was taken?

The photo itself is certainly edited like a mosaik cut & pasted from different images but I have never seen so many „green“ Y-20s at XAC before. 🤔

@vcdgf555.bsky.social

IMO this artwork is one of the best showing SAC‘s 6th generation fighter yet.

(Image via @现在又叫Songbird了 from Weibo)

Interesting image posted by @Rational314159 on Twitter showing the PLANS-18 "Fujian" and suggesting there could maybe be an aircraft seen during take-off.

Wer weiß denn sowas?: Was passiert, wenn eine Wunderkerze kopfüber in eine Mandarine gesteckt und angezündet wird? - hier anschauen Was passiert, wenn eine Wunderkerze kopfüber in eine ungeschälte Mandarine gesteckt und angezündet wird?

Happy new year and all the best for 2025! 🍀🥳

And as a chemist 🧪, I just can't help but send something chemical at the end of the year. 😆

www.ardmediathek.de/video/wer-we...

By biggest QUESTIONMARK however at the moment is still the point: are the YY-20s renumbered from previously 20841-21040 (= 20 aircraft) numbers to now 20541-20710 numbers (= also 20 ac) or are these all individual aircraft (IMO not)?? 🤔

Finally I can reply on my own, so thanks but I'm a bit confused.🤔

As for the 7 test Y-20 I have "only" 5, namely 781, 783, 785, 788 & 789, for the YY-20 test ac I have no. 786 (unconfirmed) & 787 and for the Y-20B however - also as YY-20B - I have 7810 & 7811 as transports and 7812 & 7813 as tanker

I need to add that, in addition to my own thoughts and views, this is all based on the input of various people and many good friends throughout the SDF, on Weibo, and other forums!

In the long report, I will quote them all correctly and acknowledge their individual thoughts.

I'm late to the party and still in preparations on my own report for both J-XD aircraft and since I promised my family to stay away from the PC until next year, I at least summarised it as follows:😉

By the way to all here, best wishes for 2025 and a happy new year. 😉🎇🍀♥️

... and even more it was already seen in 2015 & 2018

That's not entirely correct, we've seen it before already in late 2023

China’s big new combat aircraft: a technical assessment | The Strategist China’s aircraft industry celebrated Mao Zedong’s birthday in style, unveiling three aircraft developments that will comprise an air warfare family of systems for the 2030s and beyond. One, from Sheny...

Another interesting report on the CAC J-36 written by Bill Sweetman can be found here:

www.aspistrategist.org.au/chinas-big-n...

J-36: Assessing China’s New Generation Combat Aircraft What we know – and what we don’t know – about the next-generation fighter that made its first public appearance over Chengdu.

For anyone interested in the new CAC J-36 (?) a very good report written by Rick Joe!

IMO a must-read!

thediplomat.com/2024/12/j-36...

@vcdgf555.bsky.social

If legit (in fact the nose looks strange🤔) an image of an operational Y-20B.

(Image via @齐天的孙猴子 from Weibo)

The J-36 via @Paralay / Secret Projects Forum

The so far clearest image of a H-6N with a 5513x serial number assigned to the CTC Bomber Brigade (106th BB).

(Image via @Ds走近哈佛 from Weibo)

Unfortunately we haven‘t got any news from the PLANS-18 „Fujian“ on its 6th season trial and trial at the moment and the question on “are there flight tests or not?“ but this image was posted at the SDF by Neocloud:

„Fujian with possibly another carrier near by, posted by 这丫头有点风 on Weibo.“