Key Points and Summary – New video of the Shenyang J-35 operating from China’s EMALS-equipped carrier Fujian triggered state-media claims that the jet’s radar cross-section is “smaller than a human palm.”
The J-35B’s debut underscores China’s fast-maturing carrier aviation, but independent verification of its all-aspect stealth—and how it performs against modern sensors—remains outstanding.
J-35 Stealth Fighter from China. Image Credit: Creative Commons.
J-35 vs. F-35: Metamaterials, RCS Math, and What China Isn’t Saying
In the wake of the release of videos and stills of the Shenyang J-35B fighter launching from and recovering aboard the CV-18 Fujian aircraft carrier, Chinese sources have suggested that this aircraft is stealthier than the US F-35.
The People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) Fujian is the third carrier to enter the fleet.
However, it is Beijing’s first “flattop” carrier to be built without a ski-ramp flight deck and instead launches aircraft with an Electromagnetic Aircraft Launching System (EMALS).
In reports from Chinese state-controlled media, claims have been made that the carrier-capable J-35B fighter has a radar cross-section (RCS) “smaller than a human palm.”
Chinese sources are stating that their industry has been able to demonstrate dramatic advancements in stealth technology, according to PRC state media.
Previous China Central Television (CCTV) reports have described the J-35A as the world’s stealthiest aircraft.
The relative dimensions of the J-35’s RCS, which determines at what range it can be detected on radar or fired on by a weapon that requires a positive radar lock, were described in a program carried on the CCTV network this past Saturday, 27 September.
J-35A Fighter at Le Bourget Air Show. Image Credit: Author/National Security Journal.
“As a stealth fighter, the J-35 series’ low observability comes from its unique airframe shape and the country’s proprietary metamaterial technology,” said the CCTV broadcast. “In the electromagnetic world, this ‘steel giant’s’ radar cross-section is smaller than a human palm.”
How Small Would the J-35 RCS Need To Be to Beat F-35
The J-35B is advertised as a fifth-generation, carrier-based stealth fighter.
Its structural design has been modified from the J-35A land-based, conventional take-off and landing (CTOL) aircraft.
The PLA classifies the exact radar cross-section of the J-35, but CCTV reporting estimates that the J-35’s signature is in the 10-100 cm² range.
This is a reasonably broad spectrum for a possible RCS measurement. Still, the variance might be explained by the RCS not being an “all-aspect” measurement but instead a range of different values depending on which hemisphere of the aircraft is being measured.
If the low number given in the CCTV report is accurate for the forward hemisphere, then it would make the J-35’s RCS comparable to that of the US F-35.
The pathological secrecy regime of the PRC does not permit any serious discussion of the effectiveness of the Shenyang Aircraft Corporation’s (SAC) signature reduction methods.
In contrast, the US manufacturer and the US armed forces are rather open about F-35’s RCS rating at around 15cm².
This is roughly the size of a golf ball, according to unofficial military open sources.
Websites that have made rough estimates for the Chengdu J-20 fighters were based on minimal information, with estimates also covering a wide range from 100 to 1,000cm².
China J-20 Fighter with Missiles. Image Credit: Chinese Weibo.
The extremely large canard foreplanes on this aircraft would be responsible for much of that aircraft’s much larger signature.
Stealth and Functionality in Combat
Stealth matters for a combat aircraft due to advancements in radar systems.
Detection ranges are greater, and the accuracy of air defense missiles is several magnitudes higher than that of previous-generation designs.
Using stealth to make it more difficult for enemy radar to detect, track, and target an aircraft is the only way to survive these current-generation air defense networks.
The PRC’s fifth-generation jets have made significant advancements in this area, which largely aligns with the official party line of PRC news outlets on this issue.
They also tend to make comparisons between the latest Chinese designs and US and other Western fourth-generation fighters, such as the F-16, which has a radar cross-section of 5m², and the F-15, at 25m², rather than a Chinese versus US stealth fighter matchup.
The US twin-engine F-22 Raptor is considered the stealthiest fighter jet in the world, due to its RCS being estimated as low as 1 cm², which is roughly the size of a marble. This makes it nearly invisible to most radar and other tracking devices in the present day.
Aircraft from the 1st Fighter Wing conducted an Elephant Walk at Langley Air Force Base, Jan. 31, 2025, showcasing the wing’s readiness and operational agility. This demonstration highlighted the wing’s capability to mobilize forces rapidly in high-stress scenarios. The wing’s fleet includes F-22 Raptors and T-38 Talons. As Air Combat Command’s lead wing, the 1 FW maintains unparalleled combat readiness to ensure national defense at a moment’s notice. (U.S. Air Force photo by SrA Ian Sullens)
The PLA gave its first public display of the J-35A land-based version at the biennial Air Show China in Zhuhai, Guangdong Province, last year.
The PRC’s secret police apparatus, which now provides “security” for the event, has blocked most foreign reporters from covering this event in recent years. Consequently, some of the first opportunities for non-Chinese media to view both the J-35A and J-35B came earlier this month in Beijing.
Both aircraft participated in aerial formations for the military parade held in the PRC capital, commemorating the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II on September 3.
About the Author: Reuben F. Johnson
Reuben F. Johnson has thirty-six years of experience analyzing and reporting on foreign weapons systems, defense technologies, and international arms export policy. Johnson is the Director of Research at the Casimir Pulaski Foundation. He is also a survivor of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. He worked for years in the American defense industry as a foreign technology analyst and later as a consultant for the U.S. Department of Defense, the Departments of the Navy and Air Force, and the governments of the United Kingdom and Australia. In 2022-2023, he won two awards in a row for his defense reporting. He holds a bachelor’s degree from DePauw University and a master’s degree from Miami University in Ohio, specializing in Soviet and Russian studies. He lives in Warsaw.
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