China ended the year with a bang when, on December 26, 2024, the People’s Liberation Army Air Force unveiled not one but two next-generation stealth fighters.First, a tailless stealth jet from Chengdu roared into the sky. Then, mere hours later, another from Shenyang followed, its sleek, radar-defying frame cutting through the air.Just days later, a blurry image surfaced, confirming what no one expected from the latter model: swiveling wingtips, a radical control system never before seen on an operational fighter, solving the instability of a tailless flight.This new model, since christened J-50, isn’t just a reveal but a clear challenge. While the United States keeps its Next Generation Air Dominance program hidden, China is now showing the world exactly how far it has come and how far it’s willing to go to win the arms race.