On Tuesday, November 5, 2024, a press conference was held in Beijing at the headquarters of the People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) in connection with the upcoming 15th China International Aviation & Aerospace Exhibition (Airshow China) in Zhuhai near Hong Kong, scheduled for November 12-17 this year in the southeastern province of Guangdong.
Photo: China Military Online
As reported by China Military Online, the official website of the PLAAF, the 75th anniversary of this branch of the armed forces will feature the official debut of the latest multirole aircraft, the Shenyang J-35A, developed by the state-owned company AVIC (Aviation Industry Corporation of China). For this reason, it has been assigned the tactical number 75.
According to the report, the aircraft is primarily intended for air-to-air combat but is also capable of conducting air-to-ground attacks. This information was shared by Col. Niu Wenbo from the Air Equipment Department at PLAAF headquarters.
At China Airshow 2024, at least 1,022 defense and aerospace companies from 47 countries are set to exhibit, with national pavilions from Russia, France, the United States, Saudi Arabia, and Italy. The Russian Su-57 multirole aircraft (NATO designation: Felon) will also make its debut in China.
Among the announced Chinese premieres are prototypes such as the twin-engine, unmanned transport aircraft Air White Whale W5000 and the autonomous, unmanned tiltrotor Lanying UR6000. Notable arrivals in Zhuhai already include the modernized strategic bomber Xi’an H-6K and the electronic warfare aircraft Shenyang J-16D. Also on display will be China’s second 5th-generation multirole aircraft, already in service, the Chengdu J-20A. Other featured aircraft include the J-10C and J-16 multirole fighters, the JL-10 advanced trainer, and large jet-powered drones like the Guizhou WZ-7 Soaring Dragon and Chengdu WZ-10.
Analysis
The J-35A is a land-based variant of the prototype carrier-based aircraft J-35, which, according to information from September 13 of this year, has begun trials from the deck of the aircraft carrier CNS Liaoning (CV-16). Compared to the carrier version, it features fixed wings and a nose landing gear strut with a single wheel.
The J-35 and J-35A are derived from the 5th-generation J-31/FC-31 Gyrfalcon aircraft, developed by Shenyang Aircraft Corporation (SAC), a part of AVIC. Notably, the first two prototypes were designed for land-based airfields, similar to the latest J-35A.
The first prototype of the J-31 (internally designated F-31 V1) had its maiden flight on October 31, 2012, powered by Russian RD-93 engines, while the second, slightly modified F-31 V2 flew on December 23, 2015, powered by domestic WS-21 engines (previously designated WS-13E). Regular test flights were announced for 2019, aiming for initial operational capability of the land-based variant by 2022 or 2023. It is now clear that the objective was to develop the J-35A.
Originally, Shenyang’s goal was to develop an affordable 5th-generation Chinese aircraft for export, as the domestic air force (PLAAF) opted to adopt the heavier J-20A. Notably, the aircraft has already secured its first customer. On January 2 of this year, Pakistan Air Force Chief of Staff Air Marshal Zaheer Ahmad Babar announced plans to purchase the J-31/FC-31. According to earlier reports, Pakistan expressed interest in acquiring around 30-40 aircraft of this type.