An unidentified unmanned combat aircraft accompanied by a J-20 fighter jet was spotted flying in the sky over the Chinese city of Chengdu.

Local eyewitnesses published the footage of the aircraft.

The unidentified prototype or prototype technology demonstrator probably made its first flight with an open landing gear, which is typical for the early stages of testing.

The flight was made from the airfield of the eponymous plant of the state-owned Chengdu Aircraft Industry Group, which develops and manufactures the entire line of Chinese fighter jets, reconnaissance drones, and strike drones.

The aircraft is based on the flying wing aerodynamic design, known for its high payload to gross weight ratio, but makes it less maneuverable and stable than classical designs used in fighter aircraft construction.

The relatively large size of the aircraft, as well as the two-wheeled design of the rear landing gear bogies, indicates the aircraft’s heavy weight.

It has a twin-engine layout with air intakes under the wing in the nose and a third located in the upper part of the fuselage.

In one of the photos, under the fuselage, between the landing gear struts, there are probably hatches for the missile and bomb bays. This design solution provides a higher level of radar stealth for the aircraft.

The location of the engine nozzles above the fuselage also evidences the focus on stealth. This significantly reduces heat radiation and noise propagation relative to the lower hemisphere of the aircraft.

The exact purpose of this aircraft is currently unknown. It can be assumed that this is the result of Chinese engineers’ efforts to develop unmanned combat aircraft or a demonstrator of sixth-generation fighter jet technology.

It is unlikely that the prototype could be representative of the promising niche of “faithful knowns” – unmanned loyal wingman aircraft. The latter are mostly smaller and have a single-engine layout.

Its size and structure resemble the Russian S-70 Okhotnik heavy strike drone, which has already been used during the Russo-Ukrainian war as a carrier of guided bombs and was shot down this October.