Inside China’s ‘Area 51’ as new images reveal deadly never-before-seen ‘stealth jets’

Although the area surrounding nuclear testing site Lop Nur is pretty much uninhabitable, it remains a source of major focus for Xi Jinping and his secretive army chiefs

China is often accused of being secretive by its very nature. From denying the massacre of Uyghur Muslims to keeping its cards close to its chest when it comes to getting involved with Russia and war – there’s a lot we don’t know about the powerhouse nation.

However, new satellite images taken about a nuclear testing site dubbed China’s “Area 51” have drawn back the curtain and shone a light on the real intension of China’s leadership.

In 2022, the Daily Star reported how China was building a new nuclear testing site as the country ramped up its efforts to strengthen its military power.

The site, located in Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR), was picked up by a satellite 450km above dried-up salt lake Lop Nur, with experts seemingly confirming China’s aim to boost its testing capability.

Analysts suspect that the hidden testing area is secured by the People’s Liberation Army – which later proved to be true of the site where China had already carried out five underground nuclear tests since 1996.

Since the 2022 images, the site has been constantly monitored by satellite, with a new escalation showing the never-before-seen nuclear steal jets called J-36 and J-XDS, as well as a larger airbase than previously thought.

According to The War Zone, this is the first time the sixth-generation plans have been seen in public, having only ever been spotted at the Chengdu and Shenyang factories where they were made.

The J-36 has not yet been flown in public though, and its payload is not yet known – although it is thought to be quite high.

And as for the J-XDS, also known as the Shenyang J-50, is a one-of-one, and also has not yet been flown publicly. Again, no payload or flight capabilities of this jet are yet known.

William Alberque, a senior adjunct fellow at the Pacific Forum and former NATO director of arms control, who viewed the images, told CNN: “This is China positioning itself as a global superpower. We’re in the initial phases of a new arms race. China is already sprinting and they’re preparing for a marathon.”

The Lop Nur bas actually dates back to October 1964, when China tested a uranium-235 explosive device on the top of a 102m tower, with the leadership claiming they had “caught up with the superpowers” in doing so.

While only one weird-looking structure appears at the site on Google Maps – which looks like a cross between an airfield and a salt mine – it’s fair to say the place is pretty much uninhabitable, and yet it remains a source of major focus for Xi Jinping and his secretive army leaders.

And side point, it’s also located near the Great Gobi Strictly Protected Area, where rare Bactrian camels, Gobi bears and snow leopards, as well as wild sheep, are known to roam freely.

For the latest breaking news and stories from across the globe from the Daily Star, sign up for our newsletters.