China's J‑35A stealth fighter set for Airshow China debut
The Chinese army reports that Beijing's second stealth fighter, the J-35A, will officially debut during the 15th edition of Airshow China 2024, beginning November 12 at 7:00 PM Eastern Time. The aircraft was already spotted at Zhuhai Airport, and the photos taken at that time reveal some details of the fighter developed for the Chinese Air Force. What is known about it?
The upcoming edition of Airshow China 2024 will be an event full of interesting debuts. For the first time, the Russian Su-57 fighter will participate, which was noticed in China as early as November 3 and quickly became the subject of ridicule due to visible shortcomings in its quality. The second Chinese stealth fighter, the J-35A, will also make its public debut during the show. The People's Liberation Army Air Force stated that its presentation will be part of the 75th-anniversary celebrations of the unit, which will take place during the show. For this reason, the aircraft received the tactical number 75.
New Chinese stealth fighter
If the aircraft enters service, China will become the second country after the US to have two types of stealth fighters, as claimed by experts cited by Chinese state media, reports CNN. The United States has F-35 fighters and F-22 fighters in its arsenal. In China's case, they will be the mentioned Shenyang J-35A and Chengdu J-20.
It is worth noting, however, that the F-35 fighter possesses more advanced stealth technologies. As noted by The Aviationist, this primarily refers to the coatings covering the structure, the materials used, and the capabilities for sensor integration and data processing. Because the US has longer experience in low observability, the true features of the J-35 are not known yet.
The J-35A comes in two versions: a basic one and a naval one, both of which can operate from aircraft carriers. The naval variant has recently undergone take-off and landing tests on Chinese aircraft carriers, including the modern Fujian, which uses an electromagnetic catapult to launch aircraft. Due to its smaller size than the J-20 and optimized wing design, the J-35A is more manoeuvrable, which makes it better suited for short-range dogfighting.
The J-35A's design is based on indigenous technology. The target engine is the WS-13E, which aims to improve the aircraft's performance, manoeuvrability, and operational range. The Chinese defence industry actively promotes this model abroad, attracting the attention of potential buyers, including countries looking for cheaper alternatives to the American F-35.
