The J-35A is a perfect example of how the Chinese military has caught up to the United States military in many important ways.
China’s Shenyang J-35A fifth-generation stealth warplane has made the People’s Republic of China only the second nation, after the United States, of course, to field two distinct fifth-generation warplanes. The J-35A’s successful development follows the creation of the Chengdu J-20 as a rival to America’s F-22A Raptor, much as the J-35A is intended to rival the F-35 Lighting II.
Having first been built as a prototype in 2012, the J-35A represents a quantum leap forward for China’s military capabilities. Indeed, it is a true rival to America’s vaunted F-35. Moreover, while the F-35 took decades to develop and has not lived up to expectations—facing a range of problems including production delays, ballooning costs, and a low readiness rate—the J-35A took only 12 years to test and deploy. And it is no longer a quantity over quality argument. Much like the most recent iterations of China’s J-20, the J-35A represents both quality and quantity.
Understanding the J-35A
The J-35A is a medium-sized, twin-engine stealth fighter. It is slightly larger than the F-35, but smaller than the J-20. Its design emphasizes low observability, featuring diverterless supersonic inlets (DSI), edge-aligned control surfaces, and internal weapons bays to minimize radar cross-section.
Early prototypes of this bird utilized Russian RD-93 engines, but the J-35A today is believed to incorporate Chinese-made Guizhou WS-19 turbofans, potentially offering up to ten percent more power than the Russian engines. This upgrade is meant to overcome China’s historical reliance on foreign engines, though it may not yet match the F-35’s Pratt & Whitney F135 engines in terms of efficiency or thrust.
Of course, as the world first saw with China’s J-20—whose early variants struggled with immense engine difficulties—the Chinese were able to engineer solutions to the problem.
It is probably not safe to assume that the Chinese are incapable of doing the same with the J-35A—especially considering the mass production capacity of the Chinese defense industrial sector.
Most estimates place the J-35A’s top speed at around Mach 1.8 (1,381 miles per hour) with a combat range of approximately 700-750 miles. This range can be extended with external fuel tanks, though this increases the plane’s radar cross-section.
The one area where the F-35 has the J-35A decisively beat is in terms of its takeoff and landing capabilities. The F-35B, the U.S. Marine Corps’ version of the fifth-generation bird, has short takeoff and vertical landing (STOVL) capability that allows for a sleeker, twin-engine configuration optimized for agility and range. But the operational requirements and strategic needs of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) are for now quite different (and more limited) than the needs of the more expansive U.S. military.
The J-35A Plays Into China’s Strategic Ambitions
Remember, China’s primary goal for now is to dominate its near-abroad, notably the First Island Chain immediately off its coast—Japan, Taiwan, the Philippines, and parts of Indonesia. Of course, once this aim is achieved, other, more expansive goals can be pursued. But it is safe to say that Beijing’s strategy is focused on the First Island Chain, at least for the time being.
Six internal hardpoints, along with external options, allow the J-35A to maintain its stealth while carrying potent weapons. The PL-15 air-to-air missile, as well as air-to-ground ordnance—mirroring the capabilities of the F-35—are likely key elements of the armaments package for the J-35A. Advanced avionics, such as an electro-optical targeting system, distributed infrared sensors for 360-degree awareness, and network integration, position the J-35A as the tip of the spear for China’s air forces.
Unlike the Americans, who have chronically struggled to meet aircraft production targets, China has married its high-tech capabilities to high-end manufacturing. Already, for instance, the Chinese possess upwards of 200 J-20 stealth warplanes, with another 100 annually set to be produced. Similar numbers are likely in store for the J-35A. In other words, China is about to have the world’s largest fleet of fifth-generation warplanes—even larger than that of the United States. That will have profound strategic implications in the Indo-Pacific, as well as the world beyond.
The J-35A is a perfect example of how the Chinese military has caught up to the United States military in many important ways. It is a testament to the ambitions of China’s rulers to not just catch-up to the Americans, but to surpass them.
About the Author: Brandon J. Weichert
Brandon J. Weichert, a Senior National Security Editor at The National Interest as well as a contributor at Popular Mechanics, who consults regularly with various government institutions and private organizations on geopolitical issues. Weichert’s writings have appeared in multiple publications, including the Washington Times, National Review, The American Spectator, MSN, the Asia Times, and countless others. His books include Winning Space: How America Remains a Superpower, Biohacked: China’s Race to Control Life, and The Shadow War: Iran’s Quest for Supremacy. His newest book, A Disaster of Our Own Making: How the West Lost Ukraine is available for purchase wherever books are sold. He can be followed via Twitter@WeTheBrandon.
Image: Wikimedia Commons / wc.