On the 13th of February in 2024, a flurry of images swept through the channels of social media platforms, hinting at significant strides in China’s J-35 carrier-capable fighter program. These snapshots portray what seems to be a simulated model of the J-35 undergoing rigorous testing procedures aboard the Liaoning aircraft carrier while docked for a routine overhaul.
The sighting of this mockup on the Liaoning, which stands as China’s pioneer aircraft carrier, signals a notable advancement in assimilating the J-35 into the nation’s naval armada.
Furthermore, this development ignites speculation regarding the potential deployment of the fighter jet on China’s existing carriers, which lack catapult launch systems but rely instead on ‘ski jump’ ramps.
Initially anticipated to be stationed on the forthcoming Type 003 Fujian aircraft carrier, equipped with China’s electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System, these recent revelations suggest a divergence in the trajectory of the fighter program.
Both the Liaoning and China’s second aircraft carrier, the Shandong, adhere to the short takeoff but arrested recovery (STOBAR) principle, employing ski-jump ramps for takeoff and arrester wires for landing.
Originally procured from Ukraine, the Liaoning acts as the cornerstone of China’s aspirations in carrier aviation, with the Shandong closely modeled after it.
For their fighter operations, both aircraft carriers, the Liaoning and the Shandong, have hitherto relied solely on J-15s. These aircraft are adaptations of the Russian Su-33 Flanker carrier fighter, gradually enhanced with indigenous modifications in engines, avionics, and weaponry.
However, the forthcoming Type 003 Fujian (CV-18) aircraft carrier of the PLAN marks a departure. Unlike its predecessors, it adopts catapult-assisted takeoff but arrested recovery (CATOBAR) operations, featuring an advanced electromagnetic aircraft launch system (EMALS).
Though the authenticity of the circulated photos cannot be unequivocally confirmed, they offer sufficient detail to identify the mockup as a life-sized representation of the J-35, typically employed for carrier compatibility assessments.
Naval Defense Analyst Alex Luck echoed these sentiments on Twitter, remarking, “J-35 mockup on Liaoning. Indicative at best, but it would make sense given the two Kuznetsov carriers are unlikely to both be withdrawn before a meaningful number of CATOBAR CVs is in service.”
Moreover, Luck anticipates that in the long term, the J-35 will likely assume the role of the primary crewed fighter for carrier operations, while he posits that the service life of the J-15 series is finite.
He underscores that having additional decks for takeoff will not only streamline operations but also alleviate the strain on associated crew training pipelines, particularly in anticipation of the deployment of the Fujian aircraft carrier.
The J-35 Stealth Fighter, often hailed by experts as the carrier-based variant of the FC-31 or J-31 Gyrfalcon, epitomizes a fifth-generation aircraft engineered by China’s state-owned Shenyang Aircraft Corporation for the People’s Liberation Army.
In the Pentagon’s year-end report on the PLA for 2023, it was noted that the J-35 conducted its maiden flight in 2021. Tailored for naval operations, the basic J-35 boasts refinements such as a significantly revamped F-35B-style canopy and co*ckpit arrangement with limited rearward visibility, reinforced landing gear, and a catapult launch bar.
Moreover, folding outer-wing panels are incorporated to minimize its footprint while stationed or maneuvering on the carrier deck.
Outfitted with an advanced active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar, the aircraft is optimized for employing a plethora of Chinese-made air-to-air and air-to-ground ordnance.
In December 2023, an alleged mockup of the J-35 surfaced on the deck of the Chinese Navy’s newest aircraft carrier, the Fujian. This fighter jet flaunts stealth technology, positioning it as the Chinese counterpart to Lockheed Martin’s fifth-generation fighter, the F-35.
Recently showcased at the World Defence Show in Saudi Arabia, the aircraft is perceived by its manufacturers as a potential contender to fifth-generation US jets, which enjoy favor among many countries in the region.
While the F-35 may boast a lower maximum speed than the FC-31 at 1.6 Mach versus 1.8 Mach, it is acclaimed for its longer combat range of 1,240 kilometers (770 miles) compared to the Chinese jet’s 1,207 kilometers (750 miles).
In January 2024, Pakistan’s Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu unveiled plans for Pakistan to acquire the FC-31 to modernize its air force. However, specific details regarding the procurement were not divulged.
Nevertheless, the presence of a J-35 mockup on the Liaoning strongly implies that the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) is contemplating the feasibility of deploying the stealth fighter not only on the Type 003 carrier and its successors but also on the existing aircraft carriers.
