CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand — China’s main defense exhibition, the Zhuhai Air Show, opened this week with the J-35A fifth-generation fighter jet and the J-15T fighter jet designed for catapult operations aboard aircraft carriers. .
Although the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) is a secretive organization, it uses events such as the Zhuhai Air Show to unveil new equipment for the military. This also applies to the J-35A with People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) markings.
The J-35A joins the J-20 in China, making China the second country in the world to operate two different types of fifth-generation stealth fighters. The only country to have achieved this is the United States, which flies the F-22A Raptor and F-35 Lightning II.
Regarding the debut of the stealthy J-35A, Rick Joe (now known as X), an observer of Chinese military affairs and a frequent Twitter user, said: There were rumors last year that they were procuring it, so it’s a total surprise. ”
Three J-35As have been introduced so far, all with subtle differences that leave Joe wondering if they can operate in a front-line capacity. However, he believes the People’s Liberation Army Air Force may have received the aircraft for initial operational testing and evaluation. The current engine is the WS21 turbojet, but the planned engine is the WS19.
The J-35A is derived from the Shenyang Aircraft Corporation’s J-35, which is scheduled to join the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) as a fighter aircraft operated from Chinese aircraft carriers.
production pickup
Manufacturer Chengdu’s J-20 production probably already exceeds 300. As in previous years, the J-20 performed aerobatics at the Zhuhai Air Show 2024.
Also in Zhuhai, the state-owned Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC) exhibited a mock-up of its twin-seat J-20S, making its first public appearance. Its declassification shows that it is moving beyond just a technology demonstration facility. It is the world’s first two-seat stealth fighter jet, allowing a rear-seat pilot to control a drone as part of manned-unmanned teaming.
Quoted by Chinese media, AVIC spokesperson Wu Ziwei said the twin-seat J-20S is designed for long-range operations, providing air superiority, precision strikes against land and sea targets, battlefield situational awareness, electronic jamming, He said it has multi-functional capabilities such as tactical command. control.
To date, four examples of the J-20S have been visually confirmed.
weapons and aircraft carriers
The size of the J-35A’s internal arsenal is believed to be similar to that of the J-20, and one of the new weapons expected to equip both is the PL-15E long-range air-to-air missile. be. The new missile unveiled in Zhuhai has a foldable tail, which occupies less space and could potentially carry more missiles per aircraft.
The People’s Liberation Army Navy’s J-15T also debuted at the 2024 Zhuhai Air Show. Equipped with a catapult towbar on its nose gear, the J-15T is designed to operate on China’s newest aircraft carriers.
Also on display at the same air show was the J-15D, an electronic warfare variant for carrier operations. This is the Chinese version of the US Navy’s EA-18G Growler.
AVIC also displayed a full-scale mock-up of its “fantasy” sixth-generation fighter jet in Zhuhai. The sci-fi concept may garner media attention, but it offers little indication of where tight-lipped Chinese designers are really going with their next-generation fighter jet.
Gordon Arthur is Defense News’ Asia correspondent. After working in Hong Kong for 20 years, he now lives in New Zealand. He has participated in military exercises and defense exhibitions in approximately 20 countries in the Asia-Pacific region.
