[4] Intelligence and rumors indicated the Chinese designs would use tailless flying wing or flying arrowhead configuration that can provide greater broadband stealth characteristics compared to the previous generation of fighters, new propulsion technologies, improved sensors allowing the aircraft to operate alongside unmanned teaming aircraft or unmanned combat aerial vehicles (UCAVs), etc.
[5] In September 2022, United States Air Force (USAF) General Mark D. Kelly, head of the Air Combat Command (ACC) suggested China was on track with its six-generation fighter program, and he believed the Chinese design uses a 'system of systems' approach like the United States, which allows for "exponential" reductions in stealth signature and improvements in processing power and sensing.
[8][9][10] The Shenyang prototype fighter features a cranked arrow configuration with sharply swept lambda wings with droopped wing tips, two ventral intakes with diverterless supersonic inlet (DSI), possibly folding empennage, and twin-engine bays.
[8] A photo that appeared towards the end of January 2025 suggested the plane has swivelable wingtips which could be used as control surfaces.
[13] There was no sign of folding control surfaces and while the photo was not clear enough to make out a canopy there was a hump in the area where one would be expected.