The J-35 was officially unveiled last year via social media posts, including the popular Douyin (TikTok), Xiaohongshu (RED), and Weibo, before going viral on X and Instagram.
Last month, attendees of the Paris Air Show viewed a not particularly impressive scale model of the Shenyang J-35, China’s twin-engine, all-weather, multirole stealth fighter. Although it marked the first overseas presentation of the fighter, the mockup was lackluster, especially considering that the aircraft had made its debut appearance at the 15th China International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition last November.
It was particularly noteworthy in that Beijing had kept the aircraft largely under wraps, only to unveil it at the Chinese air show. Instead of offering a second look at last month’s event, the largest air show in the world, Shenyang opted to say, ‘Forget Paris.’
Instead, new videos and a short video of the aircraft in flight have gone viral on social media. According to a post on X from open-source military analysts at the Clash Report, “China’s 5th generation J-35A stealth jet officially entered service with the PLAAF’s 1st Air Brigade, joining J-20s.” The images, as well as the claims that the aircraft is now in service with the People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF), have not been independently verified.
Why Is China Unveiling the J-35A Now?
There has been speculation that Beijing could be rattling its saber, highlighting its advanced military capabilities. However, some officials in Washington expressed fears that it is more than just threatening actions. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth warned while speaking at a defense forum in Singapore in May that China may be readying for military conflict with Taiwan.
Beijing considers the self-ruling island, which has never been under its control, to be a breakaway province that must be returned to mainland control. China’s leaders have repeatedly expressed a desire to annex the island through diplomacy, but have refused to rule out an invasion if peaceful measures fail.
“Every day you see it. China’s military harasses Taiwan,” Hegseth warned, per a report from Newsweek. “It has to be clear to all that Beijing is credibly preparing to potentially use military force to alter the balance of power in the Indo-Pacific.”
Aircraft such as the J-35 and the Chengdu J-20, known as the “Mighty Dragon,” are considered among the platforms developed by Beijing specifically for a confrontation with the United States, including a potential conflict over the future of Taiwan’s sovereignty.
What to Know About China’s J-35 Fifth-Gen Fighter
The multirole Shenyang J-35 was derived from the J-31/FC-31 Gyrfalcon series of aircraft, and it has been produced in two variants. That includes a land-based version for the People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) and a carrier-based variant that is believed to be optimized for catapult-assisted takeoff and landing (CATOBAR) for the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN). It is expected that the J-35 could be employed on Beijing’s third aircraft carrier, the Type 003 Fujian, which is currently undergoing sea trials.
The FC-31/J-35 prototypes are believed to employ the RD-93 engines. China is also understood to be working on an improved engine, the WS-13E, which is expected to offer 22,000 pounds of thrust. The improved powerplant could potentially replace the RD-93 on the FC-31.
The J-35 is expected to be capable of handling a payload of 18,000 pounds. Internally, the carrier-based fighter can handle four munitions, weighing a total of 4,400 pounds. Externally, the FC-31 features six hardpoints, capable of carrying up to 13,000 pounds. The jet’s main armaments include the PL-10 short-range missile and the PL-12 medium-range air-to-air missile.
“The J-35 is considered to be China’s answer to America’s F-35 Lightning II warplane. The J-35 is China’s other fifth-generation warplane (the more well-known Chinese fifth-generation warplane is the Chengdu J-20 ‘Mighty Dragon,’ which is more analogous to the Air Force’s F-22A Raptor). Unlike the American F-35, China’s J-35 lacks the vertical, takeoff, and landing (VTOL) capability that the F-35s possess,” explained Brandon Weichert for The National Interest last year. “The VTOL feature comes in handy for F-35 warplanes operating aboard aircraft carriers.”
The J-35 was officially unveiled last year via social media posts, including the popular Douyin (TikTok), Xiaohongshu (RED), and Weibo, before going viral on X and Instagram. Beijing has again pulled out the stops with this week’s post, clearly seeing online videos as a superior method to sharing the news (and controlling the narrative) than by presenting the aircraft at a notable air show, even one as prestigious as Paris.
About the Author: Peter Suciu
Peter Suciu has contributed over 3,200 published pieces to more than four dozen magazines and websites over a thirty-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a Contributing Writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. He is based in Michigan. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author: [email protected].
Image: Wikimedia Commons.
