China's J-35A Could Get Unveiling at Zhuhai Airshow
The Zhuhai Airshow, China’s premier aerospace trade expo, will commence on November 12 and may see the official debut of the Shenyang J-35A, a carrier-based variant of the FC-31, showcasing China's growing fifth-generation aircraft capabilities.
Expected to operate from the PLA Navy’s Type 003 Fujian carrier, the J-35 lacks the VTOL capability of the U.S. F-35, though it will likely benefit from the Fujian’s electromagnetic catapult system. Equipped to handle an 18,000-pound payload, the J-35’s armaments include PL-10 and PL-12 missiles.
Russia’s Su-57 is also set to appear, underscoring China’s advancements in stealth aviation.
The 15th China International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition – commonly known as the Zhuhai Airshow as it takes place in the prefecture-level city in the Guangdong province – will kick off on November 12. The biennial event, which began in 1996, has become the largest airshow and aerospace trade expo held in China.
There is already speculation that the event could be used to officially introduce the Shenyang J-35A, the carrier-based variant of the Shenyang FC-31. It was on Monday that China military aviation researcher Rupprecht Denio shared a photo on X.com of the tail section of a J-35A with the number "75" to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF).
The J-35A won't be the only fifth-generation aircraft that could take flight at the Zhuhai Airshow, as a Russian Sukhoi Su-57 (NATO reporting name Felon) also arrived in the coastal city on Sunday and is expected to take part in a flight demonstration. It marks the first appearance of Russia's multirole stealth fighter at the Chinese airshow.
The J-35 Fighter – What We Know
Beijing has kept its cards close to the chest when it comes to the J-35, but it is believed that the aircraft will operate from the Type 003 Fujian, the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) aircraft carrier, which has been undergoing sea trials this year.
"The J-35 is considered to be China's answer to America's F-35 Lightning II warplane. The J-35 is China's other fifth-generation warplane (the more well-known Chinese fifth-generation warplane is the Chengdu J-20 'Mighty Dragon,' which is more analogous to the Air Force's F-22A Raptor). Unlike the American F-35, China’s J-35 lacks the vertical, takeoff, and landing (VTOL) capability that the F-35s possess," wrote Brandon J. Weichert for The National Interest. "The VTOL feature comes in handy for F-35 warplanes operating aboard aircraft carriers."
That latter fact is notable as the Type 003 Fujian is the first PLAN carrier to be equipped with electromagnetic catapults, but as previously reported the J-35 has been tested aboard the older Type 001 Liaoning and Type 002 Shandong, which each employ a ski jump ramp for launching aircraft. Whether the J-35 will operate from those carriers isn't known.
The FC-31/J-35 prototypes are believed to employ the RD-93 engines, while China is also understood to be working on an improved engine, the WS-13E, which is expected to offer 22,000 pounds of thrust and the WS-13 could possibly replace the RD-93 on the FC-31.
Currently, the J-35 is expected to be able to handle a payload of 18,000 pounds. Internally, the carrier-based fighter can handle four munitions weighing a total of 4,400 pounds. Externally, the FC-31 has six hardpoints, capable of carrying 13,000 pounds. The jet's main armaments include the PL-10 short-range missile and the PL-12 medium-range air-to-air missile.
Hopefully, more details about the fighter will come into focus during the upcoming airshow.
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