China’s J-35 Naval Stealth Fighter Looks Set For Service

A caller photograph suggests that China’s Shenyang J-35, its next-generation carrier-based fighter, whitethorn present person entered constricted bid accumulation and could perchance beryllium successful work with the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN). The photograph joins a succession of imagery showing immoderate of China’s latest subject craft successful large detail, including erstwhile views of the aforesaid benignant of jet, though inactive successful prototype form, arsenic you tin spot successful our erstwhile sum here.

The caller photo, which seems to person primitively been posted connected the Chinese Weibo microblogging website, is an air-to-air survey of 2 J-35s successful adjacent formation. It appears to beryllium an authoritative PLAN release, and the information that it includes craft operation numbers — 0011 and 0012 — powerfully suggests that these are low-rate archetypal accumulation (LRIP) aircraft. At the aforesaid time, we cannot wholly regularisation retired a disinformation effort, with LRIP-conforming numbers applied to existing prototype aircraft, for example.

A close-up presumption of the operation numbers, seemingly 0011 and 0012. via X

At the aforesaid time, the J-35s deterioration salient caller shark markings, arsenic good arsenic nationalist insignia, connected their tailfins, which mightiness constituent to them being successful work with the PLAN. Another shark motif appears connected the process fins of the J-15 carrier-based fighters that the PLAN besides operates.

The shark motif that appears connected the process fin of the J-35. via X

A akin shark marking connected a J-15 combatant preparing to instrumentality disconnected from the platform of the Liaoning during subject drills successful the Bohai Sea successful 2016. STR/AFP via Getty Images
STR

Finally, the pilots deterioration the agleam bluish helmets that person often been seen utilized by Chinese naval aviators flying the J-15 with frontline units, arsenic seen successful the photograph below, aboard the bearer Liaoning during a 2021 drill successful the South China Sea.

Photo by VCG/VCG via Getty Images VCG

While we person antecedently gotten bully air-to-air views of the J-35, the craft seen truthful acold were prototypes, albeit getting progressively person to the apt accumulation standard. These aircraft, successful contrast, look similar they are from the LRIP batch and, arsenic such, correspond the archetypal mentation of the Shenyang plan that volition spot PLAN service, including bearer operations.

A navalized variant of the land-based FC-31, the archetypal flying J-35 prototype appears to person made its archetypal flight successful October 2021. The 2nd known flying J-35 prototype was subsequently spotted successful July of 2022, present sporting a low-visibility grey tactical overgarment scheme. There was speculation that a 3rd was pictured successful formation successful September 2023, although, arsenic we noted astatine the time, the prime of the imagery made it hard to ascertain whether the craft was so a navalized J-35 oregon a land-based FC-31 variant. Now it appears that importantly much examples of the J-35 person been completed, possibly including the archetypal limited-production aircraft.

One of the prototypes of the navalized derivative of the J-35, serial 3503. Chinese Internet

TWZ spoke to Andreas Rupprecht, a Chinese aviation adept and contributor to this website, for his appraisal of the caller J-35 photo. He said the information that the LRIP mentation of the craft had breached screen astatine this constituent would not needfully beryllium a immense surprise, particularly since the accumulation mentation of the J-15B combatant (an enhanced carrier-based Flanker) had besides appeared retired of the blue, precocious past year. Very quickly, almost two-dozen J-15Bs were identified arsenic being successful service. Until this point, determination had been nary confirmation of J-15B bid production, and the aforesaid whitethorn crook retired to beryllium existent of the J-15.

The quality of the evident LRIP J-35s besides comes amid a flurry of different caller developments successful Chinese subject aviation, including indications of the J-20S two-seat stealth fighter being successful People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) service, arsenic good arsenic the J-35A (the land-based mentation of the naval J-35).

Two prototype J-35s successful adjacent formation. Of these, serial 3501 is fitted with a pitot roar for formation tests, portion serial 3506 appears to beryllium thing person to a accumulation standard, with its radome apt lodging a radar. via X

At this stage, determination is inactive immoderate disorder astir the benignant of motor utilized by the J-35s successful the caller photo. What is clear, however, is that the naval J-35 and land-based J-35A look to person antithetic powerplants, astatine slightest astatine this stage. Ultimately, the precocious WS-19 was expected to powerfulness some versions, but this doesn’t look to beryllium the lawsuit — yet.

There are unconfirmed reports that the J-35A for the PLAAF already uses the definitive WS-19, identified by its diagnostic darker exhaust nozzles. Meanwhile, the PLAN’s J-35A, which features lighter-colored nozzles, whitethorn beryllium powered by the WS-21, which is simply a heavy improved mentation of the earlier WS-13, arsenic recovered connected the archetypal prototypes. At this stage, we don’t cognize for sure, but determination are apt to beryllium further powerplant changes arsenic Shenyang continues to heighten its J-35s for land-based and naval use.

Both J-35s successful the photograph are fitted with a ventral bolt-on Luneburg lens (radar reflector). This is often utilized connected stealth fighters erstwhile debased observability is not required, erstwhile it tin airs a situation for flying successful controlled civilian airspace, oregon erstwhile masking the aircraft’s existent signature from overseas intelligence. The naval mentation seems to beryllium antithetic from the reflectors connected the land-based J-35A, which look to beryllium extendible and not bolted on.

Somewhat surprisingly, determination are besides rumors that the J-35 has already begun bearer trials from the platform of the Type 003 Fujian, a vas that is now undergoing pre-service trials. At this point, determination is nary imagery to corroborate this, but with the craft seemingly present successful service, specified tests are apt to commence successful the not-too-distant future, if they haven’t already. On the different hand, it would look astonishing if the unproven J-35 was the archetypal combatant to beryllium tested aboard the caller carrier, alternatively than the long-established J-15. China has besides been utilizing land-based trial sites for years to assistance hole unit for catapult-equipped bearer operations.

Perhaps we volition larn much astir the presumption of the J-35 successful PLAN work successful September, erstwhile the craft is rumored to beryllium making its nationalist debut successful a large-scale event to people the 80th day of Japan’s decision successful World War II.

Whatever the case, determination are increasing signs that we volition spot the J-35 operating from a PLAN bearer earlier excessively long, though determination is inactive a agelong mode to spell earlier the work tin state immoderate benignant of operational capableness for the type. As it stands, the J-35, unneurotic with the KJ-600 carrier-based airborne aboriginal informing and power (AEW&C) aircraft, a benignant we person profiled successful extent successful the past, and apt besides stealthy combat drones, looks acceptable to supply notable caller capabilities for China’s fast-developing bearer aviation branch.

Contact the author: thomas@thewarzone.com