China showcases new stealth fighter at Zhuhai air show

TAIPEI, TAIWAN — China showcased its second fifth-generation stealth fighter jet this week, the J-35A, at the country’s premier aviation exhibition in the southern province of Guangdong, an achievement state media said puts Beijing on par with the United States.

Military analysts say China’s ability to field two different types of stealth fighter jets marks an important milestone in Beijing’s development of military technology, but it still has a way to go to catch up with the U.S.

With its J-20 and J-35A stealth fighter jets, China claims it is the first country to operate two types of stealth fighter jets after the U.S., which has its F-22 and F-35. Russia currently has one stealth fighter in operation, the Su-57, with another, the Su-75 Checkmate, still in development.

The J-35A made its debut on the opening day of the air show in Zhuhai, performing aerobatic displays. In addition to the J-35A and J-20, two of Russia’s Su-57s were on exhibit for the first time at the biennial air show, which lasts until Sunday.

Higher profile as supplier

Song Zhongping, a Beijing-based defense expert, said China’s possession of both the J-35 series and the J-20 stealth fighters brings with it benefits for Beijing in combat scenarios and raises its profile as a supplier of advanced military hardware.

“China is now one of the few countries worldwide with the capability to field two types of stealth fighters simultaneously,” Song told VOA. “The advanced arms market should not be dominated solely by the U.S., Russia and Europe. China must also have a place, which will enhance China’s defense industry strength on the global stage.”

Song said that the J-35 has incorporated numerous new technologies that significantly improve its stealth capabilities compared with the United States’ F-35. In a post on China’s X-like social media platform Weibo, Hu Xijin, the former editor-in-chief of the party-backed Global Times, called the display of the new fighter jet a “strong and decisive response” to “Washington’s overreach to stifle China’s military achievements.”

“China now has its own versions of the most attractive American equipment,” Hu said in the post. “The U.S. has the F-22 and F-35; China now has the J-20 and J-35. The U.S. has THAAD [an anti-missile system], and China has the HQ-19 [surface-to-air missile system].”

Analysts say Russia’s participation this year, showcasing its Su-57 alongside China’s J-35 and J-20 at Zhuhai, not only highlights how Moscow and Beijing are working together in the global arms market but their closeness in the wake of Russia’s war in Ukraine.

Yang Tai-yuan, a researcher at the Centre for Advanced Technology at Taiwan’s Tamkang University, said that while China’s technology is improving, its pilots lack real combat experience.

“The J-35 looks very similar to the American F-35. Was there copying involved? I think it’s inevitable. To surpass the U.S. may not be possible,” Yang said. “While the equipment may match the U.S. in many aspects, China’s operational experience is not as robust.”

Yang said other challenges remain, including getting more pilots trained and helping them transition from Beijing’s third-generation J-7 and J-8 fighter jets to the highly digital systems of fifth-generation jets.

He also noted that while it takes at least 1,000 flight hours for a pilot to become experienced, People’s Liberation Army pilots have fewer training hours compared with U.S. and NATO pilots, which makes it harder to develop situational handling experience.

Yang said China’s role for its “dual stealth fighters” remains unclear. While the J-20 primarily focuses on air superiority, the operational roles for the J-35 are not yet defined.

Significant impacts

Timothy R. Heath, a senior international defense researcher at the RAND Corporation, believes stealth fighters may enhance the survivability of Chinese naval aviation.

In a written response to VOA, Heath said China’s “dual stealth fighters” approach will have significant geopolitical and military impacts, prompting some Asia-Pacific nations to consider military cooperation with China.

“Operationally, the main impact will be perhaps most for countries in Southeast Asia and along the Indian Ocean, as this PLA Navy’s carrier is likely to operate primarily along that route, as well the aviation,” he wrote.

Heath added that the J-35’s political impact is significant but unlikely to drastically affect the situation in the Taiwan Strait, as China already has substantial air power over Taiwan.

Beijing considers self-ruled Taiwan a breakaway province that must one day reunite with the mainland, by force if necessary.

In a Taiwan war, Heath wrote, “China’s carrier probably would not last long if it attempted to operate away from the protection of China’s counterintervention capabilities on the mainland.”

However, he added, deploying the J-35 from land-based air force units could enhance its effectiveness in operations over Taiwan.

Samuel Hui contributed to this report.