Advanced designs. New models of Chinese military aircraft have been photographed

Two military aircraft with an unusual tailless design were spotted in the sky over China.

This week, a video appeared online showing two military aircraft in the sky over the Chinese province of Sichuan. Both have tailless designs, meaning they do not have vertical stabilizers that help maintain control. Such aircraft usually maintain stability thanks to computers that interpret pilot input. The larger of the two aircraft has a diamond-shaped shape with three engine intakes — two along the fuselage and one at the top. The smaller one has a more traditional design, but no tail.

None of the planes have an official designation and their design is unusual for China's air force. No specifications of the aircraft are currently known. However, defense experts say they are clearly advanced designs, Reuters reports.

«Whatever their advantages or disadvantages, they have a very original design», — says Euan Graham, a senior analyst at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute.

Projects like these planes show China's aviation industry's willingness to experiment and innovate, he adds.

The United States has been developing an air dominance program for many years, which is developing a next-generation fighter. Europe and Asia are collaborating on separate next-generation aircraft under the Global Combat Aviation Program.