Through an official announcement, the People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) of China confirmed that the unveiling of its new stealth fighter, the J-35A, will take place during the Zhuhai Airshow. The event will also feature the participation of fifth-generation J-20 aircraft and, for the first time, Russia’s Su-57, providing the backdrop for the introduction of this new combat aircraft developed by the aerospace industry of the Asian Giant.
Originally designated as the FC-31 or J-31, the J-35 is a new fifth-generation stealth fighter developed by Shenyang Aircraft Corporation for the PLAAF and the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN). Notably, a carrier-based version of the aircraft is currently undergoing flight testing and is intended for operations from China’s new aircraft carrier, the Fujian, as well as future vessels.
Although many details remain classified, the confirmation of the J-35A designation definitively signals that multiple variants of this stealth aircraft are underway, focusing primarily on an Air Force version with conventional takeoff and landing, and a naval version designed for operation by China’s Naval Aviation, including a CATOBAR variant for carrier deck operations.
In broad terms, the development of the J-35 aims to mirror the pairing of the J-20 and F-35A fifth-generation fighters of the United States Air Force. Similar to the American fighters, various sources and announcements indicate that, unlike the J-20 and F-22, which are not intended for export, the J-35, like the F-35, is aimed at the export market to equip allied Air Forces in partner countries of the Asian Giant.
Looking ahead to its service entry and deployment alongside the J-20—where the latter would serve as an air superiority fighter—the J-35A is expected to operate as a lighter multirole fighter, deployed in larger numbers than its older counterpart.
Among the capabilities announced by the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC), the J-35’s mission profile includes air superiority operations, air defense suppression, interception, and aerial coverage through the interception and neutralization of enemy missiles and aircraft.
Lastly, it has not been disclosed whether the J-35 will be on static display for the public at the Zhuhai Airshow, which will run from November 12 to 17, or if it will also perform aerial demonstrations, as expected of other combat aircraft from China and Russia that have recently arrived to join the event in Guangdong Province.
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