Key Points and Summary – China’s new J-35A 5th-generation stealth fighter is now rolling off production lines and operating from its Fujian aircraft carrier, representing a significant leap in hardware and “closing the technology gap” with the U.S. F-35.
-The J-35A, which appears to be a twin-engine F-35 clone (likely from stolen data), is designed to be a versatile multi-role jet.
J-35 China Weibo Screenshot.
-However, the analysis argues China’s “most significant disadvantage isn’t hardware anymore. It’s experience.”
-The PLA’s pilots have not fought a modern air war since 1979 and lack the “tens of thousands of combat sorties” and invaluable “learning under fire” that U.S. pilots possess.
The J-35A Isn’t Enough to Close the Gap With the U.S. – Yet
China’s new J-35A stealth fighter is now rolling off the production line, taking flight from test bases, and even preparing for carrier operations.
Officially in service, the aircraft is sleek, stealthy, and modern – and it’s also a clear sign that the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) is closing the technology gap with the United States after decades of warnings from the West that China would soon catch up.
But there’s a catch.
For all its engineering progress – which is by no means insignificant – China’s most significant disadvantage isn’t hardware anymore.
It’s experience.
Beijing’s pilots, commanders, and crews have never fought a modern air war, and that difference really matters.
J-35 Stealth Fighter from China. Image Credit: Creative Commons.
J-35B Government Handout Photo.
Matching America’s Top Air Assets
Built by Shenyang Aircraft Corporation, the J-35A is the land-based variant of the J-35 naval aircraft—a fifth-generation stealth fighter designed for both the Chinese Air Force and Navy. It first attracted attention at the 2024 Zhuhai Airshow, where Chinese media touted it as a symbol of China’s growing ability to produce advanced stealth aircraft.
New close-up photos from early 2025 revealed that the aircraft is prepared to join China’s next-generation Type 003 Fujian aircraft carriers, which use U.S.-style electromagnetic catapults (EMALS) to launch planes.
The J-35A’s design also draws some pretty obvious comparisons to the American F-35 Lightning II. It features twin tails, internal weapons bays for stealth, and a stealthy radar-absorbing skin.
It’s also smaller than the J-20 Mighty Dragon, China’s heavy stealth air-superiority jet, but is much more versatile.
The J-35A, therefore, is expected to fill a multirole niche between air combat and strike missions, meaning it effectively serves the same role as the F-35 does for U.S. and NATO forces.
Official specifications remain secret, but open-source analyses have so far suggested that it is powered by twin WS-19 engines, has an estimated combat radius of roughly 1,200 km, and may carry beyond-visual-range PL-15 air-to-air missiles.
The Gap Is Closing
For decades, the U.S. held a near-monopoly on operational stealth fighters – but that era is now ending.
China now operates dozens of J-20 stealth jets and is believed to have entered limited serial production of the J-35A, marking its first generation of carrier-capable stealth fighters.
The programs are impressive and have emerged from major industrial expansion across China. This is especially impressive given that, only twenty years ago, China relied heavily on Russian designs.
Now, China is leaping well ahead of Russia.
The J-35A also fits into China’s broader military vision of integrated air-sea warfare, in that the aircraft is designed not only to fight but also to serve as an airborne command hub, feeding data from radar and sensor networks to other aircraft, ships, and even drones.
For the United States and its allies, China’s ongoing expansion of its military capabilities should serve as a warning that U.S. dominance is no longer certain – and that China is catching up at a pace.
And while the United States continues to develop new technologies and maintains its lead over China, the real difference lies in how these platforms compete head-to-head.
Military technology is only half of the story here.
The Real Gap: Combat Experience
Unlike their American counterparts, Chinese pilots have never fought a modern war—and all the advanced military hardware in the world can’t change that.
The PLA’s last major conflict was a limited border skirmish with Vietnam in 1979 – long before stealth aircraft, modern radar, and precision munitions even existed.
This lack of combat experience effectively denies the PLA the feedback loop that comes from learning under fire – and that feedback, where pilots learn collectively over time what does and does not work, and how best to combat enemies, is what ultimately drives tactical innovation.
By contrast, U.S. and allied pilots have logged tens of thousands of combat sorties throughout Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, Libya, and beyond, giving them real-world flight hours and invaluable lessons in maintenance, mission planning, and coordination under fire.
Chinese pilots are not only operating aircraft that, by many metrics, are still not fully competitive with their American counterparts, but they also lack the experience to compete with better aircraft.
There’s even a difference in terms of American and Chinese carrier programs that support both countries’ ability to project power from a great distance.
The Type 003 Fujian has only just completed catapult launch and recovery trials with the J-35A, while U.S. carriers routinely launch and recover F-35Cs in combat zones all over the world.
China’s J-35A stealth fighter marks significant progress toward achieving U.S.-level airpower. However, its pilots remain untested—and, despite rapid modernization and carrier integration, the People’s Liberation Army still cannot match the experience of American aviators.
But, as with the technology gap, circumstances can change, and so can the times—and it may only be a matter of time before those pilots begin gaining the combat experience they need.
About the Author:
Jack Buckby is a British author, counter-extremism researcher, and journalist based in New York. Reporting on the U.K., Europe, and the U.S., he works to analyze and understand left-wing and right-wing radicalization, and reports on Western governments’ approaches to the pressing issues of today. His books and research papers explore these themes and propose pragmatic solutions to our increasingly polarized society. His latest book is The Truth Teller: RFK Jr. and the Case for a Post-Partisan Presidency.
More Military
Why the U.S. Navy Finally Said No to the F-14 Tomcat
Israel’s Merkava Tanks Have a Message for Any Army On Earth
The Mach 1.4 X-59 Could Create Military Nightmares for Russia and China
Shithole
November 1, 2025 at 4:00 pm
Last year, in 2024, a china pilot serving with the eastern theater command, intercepted a US stealth fighter (thought to be an f-22) as it tried to penetrate Chinese airspace.
The Chinaman pilot flying a j-16, caught up with the f-22, and proceeded to perform a barrel roll over the startled US pilot.
After that, his fire-control radar locked onto the American.
As a result, the US pilot fled the scene with his tail tucked between his legs and was never seen again.
Recently, Australia (which takes its orders & instructions from uncle Sam) flew a p-8 spyplane near the paracel islands.
A china pilot flew straight towards him and flare-bombed the Australia spying plane which led to loud squeals and squawks from the big shot Australian politicians and mass media.
Shows how tough china pilots are nowadays. Ya behind the times, grandpa.