Is It Really Just An F-35 Copy?

By News Update On Nov 30, 2024

The People’s Republic of China has a habit of copying Western technology, whether it’s something for commercial use or a new weapon employed by the military. Like the United States and other Western nations, China has been hard at work developing its new fleet of fifth-generation fighters to counter those in the States, like the F-22 Raptor and F-35 Lightning II. Not only is China working hard to build new aircraft, but it’s succeeding, having recently unveiled its newest fighter, the Shenyang J-35A.

The J-35A is a twin-engine stealth multirole fighter designed for air superiority as well as ground engagement missions. There’s a standard aircraft and a carrier-based variant designed for the People’s Liberation Army Naval Air Force (PLANAF). Development of the J-35A began sometime in the aughts, resulting in the development of the FC-31 Gyrfalcon, a stealth prototype that became the basis of the fighter that ultimately followed.

If the new fighter looks at all familiar, that’s because it’s eerily similar to the F-35. This is likely not a coincidence, as China often duplicates American efforts in military production. Of course, there have been espionage incidents in the past, so the duplication effort could be somewhat nefarious. Regardless, what is certain is that the J-35A looks to be a highly capable stealth fighter that resembles an existing American fighter. They first entered production sometime around 2020, and China finally officially unveiled the J-35A at the Zhuhai Air Show in November 2024. Here’s what we know about China’s new toy.

[Featured image by China News Service via Wikimedia Commons | Cropped and scaled | CC BY 3.0]

What we know about the J-35A

China isn’t in the habit of revealing too many details about its nascent military technology, so there’s not much known about the J-35A’s capabilities. Despite this, there is much that can be inferred from direct observation. Still, the best source of information on the J-35A is actually its predecessor, the FC-31 prototype. What we know of that aircraft is considerably greater than what is available about its successor, so the information can be treated as a baseline.

The FC-31 is fitted with two Guizhou WS-13E afterburning turbofans though it’s possible that the J-35 has two Guizhou WS-21 afterburning turbofans. These engines should be capable of pushing the jet to a maximum speed of Mach 1.8 (1,381 mph), and the fighter’s combat range could be up to 746 miles or further without external fuel tanks. The FC-31’s service ceiling is believed to be about 65,600+ feet, so even the prototype boasts capabilities somewhat similar to those found in America’s fifth-generation fighters.

The aircraft’s stealth capabilities suggest it could match American stealth aircraft, though this has yet to be confirmed. Regarding armament, the J-35A likely has a total of 12 hard points, half of which are internal. This would enable the fighter to carry a variety of air-to-air and air-to-ground missiles, as well as various types of bombs and additional fuel tanks. It would also be safe to assume that the J-35A boasts a variety of modern and updated sensors, radars, and other equipment to ensure the aircraft’s survivability during combat engagements on the ground or in the air.

[Featured image by China News Service via Wikimedia Commons | Cropped and scaled | CC BY 3.0]

Is it legit or a paper tiger?

Whenever China reveals new technology that looks a lot like something developed in the West, questions arise over its suitability. If the J-35A was designed using stolen F-35 blueprints, that doesn’t necessarily make it comparable. The U.S. has advanced avionics and radar technology that likely weren’t included in any potentially stolen plans. Additionally, the J-35A marks China’s second stealth fighter, while the U.S. has been flying stealth aircraft since the 1980s with the introduction of the F-117A Nighthawk.

That’s a lot of experience that went into designing America’s stealth aircraft, and China is still catching up to its Western rivals. While the J-35A looks like a clone of the F-35, it features Chinese engines, weapons, and pilots. While China’s PLANAF should be respected and not underestimated, it’s unlikely the J-35A matches up to the F-35. As a result, it could be considered a paper tiger, but only through comparison.

A paper tiger is a Chinese term for something that claims to be powerful but cannot stand up to scrutiny. While the J-35A may be incomparable to the F-35, that doesn’t make it any less dangerous to China’s enemies. China plans to export the FC-31 and possibly the J-35A to nations unable to purchase the F-35, so it’s possible that the two fighters may meet in combat. If that happens, the world will know for certain, but until that fateful day, the J-35A should be seen as a highly advanced and capable stealth fighter that’s a potential future threat in and out of Asia.

[Featured image by David Wang via Wikimedia Commons | Cropped and scaled | Fair Use]