China's J-36 fighter harnesses ambient electromagnetic waves for power, potentially enabling sustained laser attacks and revolutionizing aircraft energy systems.
by Kris Osborn, Warrior
China’s fast-emerging 6th-gen J-36 aircraft may be breaking some new ground in the area of electronics and exportable power while also introducing as of yet unprecedented stealth configurations. The three engine fuselage appears to incorporate elements of both a stealth bomber and stealth fighter jet. Apart from its external configuration, which appears to present “F-47-like” blended wing-body with no tails, the aircraft may contain unprecedented technological breakthroughs with a “smart” electromagnetic surface capable of converting ambient electromagnetic waves into electrical power. Chinese-authored research published in March 2025 in “IEEE Internet of Things Magazine,” suggests that new kinds of sensing and electromagnetic, AI-enabled “beamforming” can generate sustained electrical power for the aircraft without needing traditional batteries. The “smart” surface of the J-36 draws electrical power from radar or other environmental sources to sustain on-board avionics, sensing and communications systems.
“In the case studies, by jointly optimizing parameters such as transceiver beamforming, robot trajectories, and RIS coefficients, solutions based on multi-agent deep reinforcement learning and multi-objective optimization are proposed to solve problems such as beamforming design, path planning, target sensing, and data aggregation,” said the Chinese-scientists researchers in the essay, called “Reconfigurable Intelligence Surface for Internet of Robotic Things.”..... “A reconfigurable intelligent surface (RIS)-aided IoRT (Internet of Robotic Things) network is proposed to enhance the overall performance of robotic communication, sensing, computation, and energy harvesting.”
This Chinese research, performed by several scientists from Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications and Tsinghua University, is cited in an essay from “Interesting Engineering” which posits the China’s J-36 may incorporate “two-dimensional reflecting material” capable of converting electromagnetic waves into applicable power in real-time.
What’s interesting is that the IEE essay suggests the new technology would remove the need for batteries, something certainly of significance, yet most-fighter jets receive on-board power from engine-driven generators. It seems it would be relevant to discern if this kind of technological application can also supplement, support or improve generator-driven sources of power on fighter jets.
Regardless, new methods of self-generating on-board power could introduce significant new tactical possibilities, given the extent to which stealth fighter-jet systems rely upon exportable sources of power. High-speed computer processing, sensors of all kinds, weapons integration and fire control all require sustainable amounts of expeditionary electrical power. Therefore, it seems conceivable that a massively increased ability to generate electrical power could support stronger computing, more durable avionics, longer-range high-fidelity sensing and nose-radome radar sensitivity.
J-36 armed with Lasers
The largest advantage may pertain to the question of fighter-jet mounted lasers. For many years, the Air Force Research Laboratory has been working on innovative methods of generating the amount of exportable power needed to support on-board laser weapons for fighter jets. Lasers in particular require high levels of sustainable, expeditionary electrical power to function, and enterprising sufficient power in a small enough, mobile form factor has proven extremely difficult for weapons developers. Lasers are much more easily integrated into larger platforms such as surface ships capable of transporting large, yet mobile power sources. Engineering power sources of power strong enough, yet also small enough to integrate into a fighter jet, remains challenging for weapons developers hoping to arm stealth fighter jets with lasers. This new technology proposed by Chinese researchers, should it come to fruition and be operational on the J-36, could in theory generate the amounts of electricity needed to support airborne-laser weapons.
Does the J-36 strike an optimal blend of attributes capable of introducing unprecedented air-attack possibilities and laser-armed stealth air attack? This certainly seems possible, yet there are still too many unknowns. For example, what kinds of sensing, mission systems or fire-control technologies does the J-36 have? Can it operate with F-35-like long-range high-fidelity sensors such that it can destroy enemy targets at standoff distances where it is not detected? What kinds of computing, fire-control and weapons interfaces does the aircraft incorporate? Does it really achieve a new degree of stealth, on-board power and multi-role versatility?
The PLA itself might not yet have the answers to all of this, as the aircraft may only be in a demonstrator, experimental phase not yet ready for production. There is evidence to support this, according to an interesting essay from the Aviationist which pointed out a forward data probe on the aircraft, something typically done during initial testing and assessment phases of new platforms for the purpose of collecting data for further analysis.
J-36 Concepts of Operation
All of these variables raise questions about the intended Concepts of Operation for the fighter, because the J-36 could connect laser-armed fighter-jet-like speed with bomber-like payload carriage. Available images of the J-36 do show a large internal weapons bay, something which raises the possibility of a lower, altitude tactical bomber able to fly with large, B-2-like ordnance payload. This allows an aircraft to operate with longer dwell-time and the ability to drop a larger number of weapons on target in a single mission. The larger body also means the aircraft could possibly fly longer missions by virtue of being able to carry more fuel than a standard fighter.
Kris Osborn is the President of Warrior Maven – Center for Military Modernization. Osborn previously served at the Pentagon as a highly qualified expert in the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army—Acquisition, Logistics & Technology. Osborn has also worked as an anchor and on-air military specialist at national TV networks. He has appeared as a guest military expert on Fox News, MSNBC, The Military Channel, and The History Channel. He also has a Masters Degree in Comparative Literature from Columbia University