China's air force strength has caught up with that of the United States. Through continuous technological iterations and improvements, they have shown that the J-20 "Mighty Dragon" fifth - generation fighter is generally as competitive as the US Air Force's F - 22A "Raptor" fighter, although it is not as technologically advanced. Now, China's J-35A fighter, comparable to the US F - 35 "Lightning" II, has also made its appearance and impressed observers.
On November 12, 2024, China's J-35A fighter conducted a flight performance at an airshow.
China's defense industrial base is quite mature and can mass - produce the most advanced systems like making sausages. In contrast, it takes the United States several years to develop a military aircraft.
China has the ability to fund and achieve large - scale production of almost any advanced platform. Although many in the West accuse China of being just an imitator rather than an innovator, this model has changed in the past decade. In some key strategic areas, China can not only mass - produce systems that can mimic the technological capabilities of the United States but has also begun to creatively develop its own unique technological capabilities.
The J-35A emerged in this context. In the increasingly competitive Indo - Pacific region, it will fundamentally disrupt the US military's air superiority strategy. A US Air Force general once described "air superiority" as "the ability to conduct operations in the air without challenge, or at least without restriction". China's J - 20 and J-35A, combined with their large - scale production capabilities, stand in sharp contrast to the US's lack of production capacity and rigid defense procurement system. In view of this, US air superiority in the Indo - Pacific region is already a thing of the past.
Like the US F - 35 project, the J-35 project serves multiple Chinese military services. The J-35 is designed for the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy, while the J-35A is designed as a land - based fifth - generation stealth fighter for the Chinese People's Liberation Army Air Force.
The J-35A made its grand debut at an airshow in November 2024. It is obvious that China has caught up with the United States in stealth military aircraft technology (although Washington does not admit it). It is a medium - sized twin - engine stealth fighter and will cooperate with the J - 20 in combat.
The J-35A has multiple low - observable features to minimize the radar cross - section. These features include edge - aligned control surfaces, a Diverterless Supersonic Inlet (DSI) with a curved S - shaped duct to protect the engine blades from radar detection, and seamless, conformal surface treatment. Most independent analysts have confirmed that the stealth performance of the J-35 is comparable to that of the F - 35.
The J-35A is equipped with two WS - 19 "Huangshan" engines, each with a thrust of over 10 tons, and may have the potential for all - directional thrust vector control to enhance maneuverability. Therefore, different from the single - engine design of the F - 35, the J-35A may have stronger maneuverability. In addition, it is estimated that the maximum speed of the J-35A is about Mach 1.8, and its combat radius can reach about 750 miles (about 1200 kilometers) before refueling is required.
Like the F - 35, the J-35A is designed to cooperate with other Chinese military assets, such as drones or the J - 20, to form a "kill cloud chain" in the air.
China has kept the true capabilities of the J-35A highly confidential. However, one thing is clear: whether this fighter is on par with the US F - 35 or not, any conflict with the United States will take place closer to China, which will give China a decisive advantage. Moreover, quantity itself is an advantage: China clearly has the ability to mass - produce these aircraft. This means that the Americans are at a decisive disadvantage.
A pilot of the F - 35 once said: "The last thing Americans want to see is their air force getting involved in large - scale combat." It may prove that when combined with China's comprehensive anti - access/area denial (A2/AD) capabilities in the Indo - Pacific region, some of China's weapon systems will play a decisive role in defeating the once - invincible US military. And the J-35A is just such a weapon system.
