China is expected to unveil its second stealth fighter, the J-35, at the Zhuhai Airshow, now just a week away. With its ongoing hegemonic competition with the United States, China is prepared to demonstrate its military power without backing down.
According to Global Times, the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) News Media Center’s official social media account released a photo, hinting that the J-35 stealth fighter, which China has been developing for years, might debut at the Airshow China 2024 (Zhuhai Airshow).
On Monday, the PLA News Media Center’s official account posted a message titled “Super spoilers! Is the J-35 officially announced?” along with a photo of an aircraft’s vertical tail fin marked with 75. The account wrote, “Is this an official image of the new aircraft?! Is it the J-35 that netizens have been eagerly anticipating? Do not rush. We will see you in Zhuhai in 3+5 days.”
The J-35, a fifth-generation fighter first introduced in 2014, is the second stealth fighter developed by China after the J-20, which was operationally deployed in 2017 as China’s first stealth fighter. Often called a knockoff F-35 due to its resemblance to the American model, the J-35 differs from the F-35 by having twin engines. It is expected to be deployed on aircraft carriers, and China claims its performance surpasses that of the F-35.
Anticipation for the J-35’s unveiling has been anticipated in the lead-up to the Zhuhai Airshow, which will run from November 12 to 17. The Global Times noted, “While the post is short, it contained significant information, as it is the first time the long-anticipated J-35 has appeared on an official media platform.”
Chinese military expert Zhang Xuefeng told the Global Times, “While the post used the question marks, given the authority and reliability of the official media, this post indeed serves as a spoiler about the J-35, confirming the existence of this aircraft type. Judging from the vertical tail’s shape, it will likely be a stealth fighter jet.” “The photo also displayed the number 75 painted on the fighter jet’s vertical tail. This year marks the 75th founding anniversary of the People’s Republic of China, and November 11 also marks the 75th anniversary of the founding of the PLA Air Force, indicating that this number represents the PLA Air Force’s 75 years of glorious history from November 11, 1949,” he added.
Lianhe Zaobao also recently reported that after a decade of improvements, China is expected to introduce the J-35 into the Chinese Air Force at the Zhuhai Airshow. The operational deployment of the J-35 signified that China joined the United States in simultaneously operating two types of fifth-generation fighters.
Chinese Air Force expert Fu Qianshao told Lianhe Zaobao that the J-35 is more affordable than the J-20 as a medium-sized fighter. This could accelerate the replacement of outdated fighters like the J-7 and J-8, potentially surpassing the number of J-20s in service. He added that the J-35’s appearance as a carrier-based fighter on aircraft carriers is likely not far off.
Most Commented