Upgraded tech, homegrown engine on J-35A fighter boost combat effectiveness: Chinese Air Force

A China's J-35A stealth fighter jet takes part in a performance during Airshow China in Zhuhai, south China's Guangdong Province, Nov. 12, 2024. (Xinhua/Liu Dawei)

GUANGZHOU, Nov. 13 (Xinhua) -- China's new J-35A stealth fighter, which made its debut at the ongoing Airshow China, is equipped with a homegrown engine and a human-machine interaction design that help it fully exert its combat effectiveness, the People's Liberation Army (PLA) Air Force said on Wednesday.

At a press conference on the sidelines of the airshow, Xie Peng, spokesperson of the PLA Air Force, said that the J-35A, with its domestically developed engine, represents an important addition to the PLA Air Force's stable of fighter aircraft.

Air Force officer Li Lanxing, meanwhile, said that during test flights, pilots found the J-35A highly maneuverable, with excellent handling and user-friendly human-machine interaction, enabling full combat effectiveness.

The J-35A test flights are increasingly focused on real combat scenarios, with more emphasis on combat effectiveness, Li added.

A China's J-35A stealth fighter jet takes part in a performance during Airshow China in Zhuhai, south China's Guangdong Province, Nov. 12, 2024. (Xinhua/Liang Xu)

The fighter jet has robust joint combat capabilities, said Wang Yongqing, chief expert at the Shenyang Aircraft Design and Research Institute of the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC). The AVIC is the primary contractor for the development of China's aviation weapons and equipment.

The J-35A's information and system architecture was designed for seamless interoperability, providing strong standalone combat capabilities and enabling coordination with other battlefield equipment, which will open up new possibilities for future missions, said Wang.

Unlike the J-20, a heavy stealth fighter designed mainly for air superiority, the J-35A is a medium-sized multi-role stealth fighter capable of both air superiority and strike missions against ground and maritime targets.

China's J-20 stealth fighter jets perform in formation during Airshow China in Zhuhai, south China's Guangdong Province, Nov. 12, 2024. (Xinhua/Liu Dawei)

The combination of the J-20 and J-35A features both air superiority and multi-role capabilities, greatly enhancing the Air Force's ability to conduct offensive operations in high-threat and contested environments, said military expert Wang Mingzhi in a separate interview with Xinhua.

"The successful development of the J-35A has enabled China to possess two types of stealth fighter jets, providing the Air Force with enhanced capabilities to safeguard the country's sovereignty, security and territorial integrity," Wang added.

Officially known as the China International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition, the airshow is scheduled for Nov. 12-17 in the southern coastal city of Zhuhai.