China’s New J-35A Fighter Summed Up in 4 Simple Words

Key Points – China’s J-35A signifies a major advancement for the People’s Liberation Army Air Force, representing its second distinct fifth-generation stealth fighter program alongside the J-20.

-Derived from the carrier-based J-35 and earlier FC-31 demonstrator, the land-based J-35A bears a striking resemblance to the US F-35, fueling persistent espionage accusations, although some design convergence may be functional.

-While not yet operational and lacking the F-35’s global production scale and support network, the J-35A’s emergence underscores China’s rapidly developing aerospace capabilities and its ambition to field advanced, multi-role stealth aircraft.

The J-35A Debate

The J-35A stealth fighter is China’s latest foray into fifth-generation stealth aircraft and builds on years of development — as well as some comparisons to the United States’ own F-35 fighter.

The J-35A Fighter Is a Big Deal

China’s J-35A is a carrier-based fighter built to fly off China’s distinctive aircraft carriers.

The J-35 traces its roots back to the Shenyang Aircraft Corporation’s FC-31, a prototype aircraft with some stealth features that first flew in 2012.

The FC-31 was originally conceived of as a stealth fighter for export but instead evolved into the J-35 as a test and research platform for a carrier-based fighter.

Around a decade later, the first iteration of the J-35 took flight, featuring folding wings and robust landing gear for tight storage and hard landings on aircraft carriers.

The J-35A, a land-based version of the PLAAF, features a slightly altered wing design and other optimizations for Air Force operations.

4 Simple Words: It Looks Like F-35

One thing that is immediately notable about the J-35A is how much it appears — outwardly, at least — like the American F-35 fighter.

Both share similar stealth contouring, a pair of air intakes (though the Chinese J-35 features two engines), as well as what is assumed to be radar-absorbing materials.

For these reasons, criticism has been leveled — or rather, accusations — that the J-35 relied on espionage for its development.

According to one analyst, the “emergence of multiple other aircraft with similar configurations (the twin-engine KF-21 and AMCA, in particular) may reflect a convergence of form due to pursuit of similar functions in the context of desiring mature aerodynamic configurations.”

“While it is very much plausible that espionage relating to the F-35 may have benefited the J-35/A program, it is unlikely that gross aircraft planform and aerodynamic configurations would have benefited from such intelligence. More telling evidence might be if the development of certain avionics, weapons, or other mission systems may have benefited from intelligence garnered with the aim of countering the F-35. Alas, confirmation of this matter would require detailed forensics of both the  J-35/A and the F-35 family, which is unlikely ever to occur.”

Mass Production, Years of Experience, and Global Supply and Logistics Chains

In addition, the F-35 has already entered mass production with three variants: A, B, and C.

Though the complexity of manufacturing and logistics are somewhat more complex, the F-35 has more mission flexibility, meeting the needs of the U.S. Marine Corps, Navy, and Air Force. In contrast, China’s J-35A has not entered active service and offers somewhat less flexibility.

Another aspect of both programs, besides the aircraft themselves, is their production and logistics chains.

Again, benefiting from many years of mass production, the F-35 can leverage a global supply chain and maintenance network thanks to the F-35’s international partners.

While China’s J-35 is likely much more affordable to produce, that worldwide level of support infrastructure is a distinct disadvantage.

Those 4 Words: Just an F-35 Copy?

The J-35A may be meant as a support aircraft for the larger J-20 stealth fighter and perhaps approaches the stealth question more affordably (and, arguably, affords some flexibility in terms of operational application).

With the J-35A, China firmly enters the club of countries that have produced more than one viable stealth aircraft — joining the United States.

Though it is far from clear how the J-35A would fare against other stealth fighters, or potentially even fourth-generation fighters, it seems more specific that the stealth fighter is a large step forward for the Chinese and their aspirations of capable stealth aircraft.

About the Author: Caleb Larson

Caleb Larson is an American multiformat journalist based in Berlin, Germany. His work covers the intersection of conflict and society, focusing on American foreign policy and European security. He has reported from Germany, Russia, and the United States. Most recently, he covered the war in Ukraine, reporting extensively on the war’s shifting battle lines from Donbas and writing on the war’s civilian and humanitarian toll. Previously, he worked as a Defense Reporter for POLITICO Europe. You can follow his latest work on X.

This first appeared last month and is being recirculated due to reader interest and breaking news.