Key Points and Summary – Recent reports suggest China’s naval J-35 stealth fighter has entered limited production, a major development for its naval air force (PLANAF).
-This new carrier-capable fighter could put the Chinese Navy on equal footing with the U.S. Navy’s stealth capabilities.
-Speculative data indicates the J-35 may have on-paper advantages in speed and operational radius over America’s F-35 and F-22.
-If the J-35 is already conducting trials from China’s Fujian aircraft carrier, it represents a significant power projection threat to U.S. allies in the Indo-Pacific, particularly Taiwan and the Philippines.
Naval Version of China’s J-35 Stealth Fighter: How Good Can It Be?
On or about July 19, 2025, it was reported by Thomas Newdick of TWZ that the naval variant of China’s Shenyang J-35 stealth fighter may already be in a limited production phase (with two specimens built thus far) and in operational service with the People’s Liberation Army Naval Air Force (PLANAF; Zhōngguó Rénmín Jiěfàngjūn Hǎijūn Hángkōngbīng).
If the photographic evidence published in Mr. Newdick’s article does indeed prove to be legitimate, that would put the PLANAF on an equal footing with its PLAAF counterparts, at least in terms of stealth technological capabilities if not sheer numbers. (The PLAAF’s operational stealth fighter is, of course, the Chengdu J-20 Weilong [“Mighty Dragon;” NATO reporting name “Fagin”]. But just how good can the naval J-35 be?)
(NOTE: The land-based version of the J-35 is designated the J-35A, whilst the naval version is just plain “J-35.”)
Current Status of the PLANAF
At the very least, the J-35 would be a force multiplier for the PLANAF, an additional tool in the proverbial toolbox.
According to the World Directory of Modern Military Aircraft (WDMMA), the PLANAF has a total of 436 airframes in its active aircraft inventory (as of 2024), ranking it 15th out of 103 total air services tracked by the website. That includes 182 jet fighters, namely:
–The Shenyang J-8 “Finback” interceptor, quantity 47; this is essentially a derivative of the Soviet-designed MiG-21 “Fishbed”
–The Xian JH-7 “Flounder” fighter-bomber, quantity 34
–The Chengdu F-7/J-7 “Fishcan” fighter, quantity 30, is also a MiG-21 derivative
–The Chengdu J-10 “Firebird” multirole fighter, quantity 25; akin to the American F-16, the Eurofighter Typhoon, and the abandoned Israeli Lavi
–The Russian-made Sukhoi Su-30MKK “Flanker-C” multirole fighter, quantity 24
–The Shenyang J-15 “Flanker X-2” multirole fighter, quantity 22
J-35 Initial History and Speculative Specifications
The warbird is manufactured by the Shenyang Aircraft Corporation (SAC), headquartered in the eponymous provincial capital city of Liaoning Province. SAC is, in turn, a subsidiary of Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC), headquartered in Beijing.
The first prototype of the J-35—in turn a navalized variant of the land-based FC-31 “Gyrfalcon”—reportedly made its maiden flight in October 2021, whilst the second known flying J-35 prototype was subsequently spotted in July of 2022 (this time sporting a low-visibility gray tactical paint scheme).
Exact specifications of the J-35 are speculative at this point, as the operational status hasn’t been officially confirmed by Beijing yet.
Presumably, the J-35 will have a max takeoff weight of 35 tons and pack a payload of 8 tons (including a carrying capacity of up to 8 missiles in its bays and on its hardpoints under its wings).
J-35 will apparently use the WS-21 engine, which in turn is a heavily improved version of the earlier Guizhou WS-13 “Taishan.” The WS-21 generates 93.2 kilonewtons (21,000 pounds-force) of thrust.
Operational radius of the J-35 is estimated at 728 nautical miles (838 statute miles, 1350 kilometers), with a maximum speed of 2.2 Mach (1,687 mph, 2,716 km/h, 1,466 knots). As to how that compares with America’s two operational 5th Generation fighters, namely the F-22 Raptor and the F-35 Lightning II (both products of Lockheed Martin’s prestigious Skunk Works division):
–F-22: 460 nautical miles (530 statute miles, 850 kilometers); max airspeed Mach 2.25, 1,500 mph, 2,414 km/h, 1,303 knots)
–F-35: Combat radius of 669 nautical miles (770 statute miles, 1,239 kilometers); max airspeed Mach 1.6 (1,227 mph, 1,975 km/h, 1,066 knots)
In other words, it looks like the J-35 will have at least a few on-paper advantages over America’s stealth fighters.
The J-35 also has a Luneburg lens (radar reflector) bolted on ventrally. The Luneburg lens is valuable for stealth fighters when low observability is not required. Still, it can pose potential safety hazards for flying in controlled civilian airspace or when masking the aircraft’s actual signature from foreign intelligence.
In 4 Words: China’s Carriers Go Stealth
There are also as yet unconfirmed rumors that the J-35 has already begun carrier trials from the deck of the Type 003 Fujian. If true, this would put the PLAN on equal footing with the US Navy (the F-35B and F-35C variants) in terms of the ability to launch stealth fighter strikes from “flat-tops.”
This enhanced power projection capability would be a significant concern to the United States and its allies in the USINDOPACOM area of responsibility (AOR), particularly Taiwan and the Philippines.
About the Author: Christian D. Orr, Defense Expert
Christian D. Orr is a Senior Defense Editor for National Security Journal (NSJ). He is a former Air Force Security Forces officer, Federal law enforcement officer, and private military contractor (with assignments worked in Iraq, the United Arab Emirates, Kosovo, Japan, Germany, and the Pentagon). Chris holds a B.A. in International Relations from the University of Southern California (USC) and an M.A. in Intelligence Studies (concentration in Terrorism Studies) from American Military University (AMU).
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