Chinese SAC - FC-31/J-35 5th Gen Stealth Aircraft

[cir]

Some people have seen photos of the J-35AE.

 

[Shui]

Some people have seen photos of the J-35AE.

wut any pic?

 

[Michael]

Some people have seen photos of the J-35AE.

wut any pic?

This is just a statement made by some people to sensationalize and attract attention.

J-35AE: Two viewpoints:
1. It doesn't exist at all.
2. It has existed from the very beginning.
Both viewpoints are valid.

However, the statement "Some people have seen photos of the J-35AE" is meaningless.

 

[Deino]

This is just a statement made by some people to sensationalize and attract attention.

J-35AE: Two viewpoints:
1. It doesn't exist at all.
2. It has existed from the very beginning.
Both viewpoints are valid.

However, the statement "Some people have seen photos of the J-35AE" is meaningless.

However as I know @cir, he is a very credible member, who only posts very rarely, often only giving a hint ... and a few days later the images are released!

As such whenever he says something; I at least get a bit nervous.

 

[Michael]

However as I know @cir, he is a very credible member, who only posts very rarely, often only giving a hint ... and a few days later the images are released!

As such whenever he says something; I at least get a bit nervous.

This is the original source.

The original text is from "齐天的孙猴子". This is a highly credible blogger.
============================================================
I know that many Chinese military bloggers are active on this forum. I don't know who @cir is. Or rather, I don't know if he is a well-known military blogger. I usually take a cautious approach to the analyses and written content of Chinese military bloggers, unless there are accompanying photos or sources cited.

According to publicly available information to date, the export version of the J-35 series fighter jet is still officially referred to as "FC-31," and there are no credible sources that refer to it as "J-35AE" or "J-35E."
It is generally believed that both of these code systems refer to export-oriented weapons and equipment. However, in reality, these two code systems have fundamental differences.
Whether the export version of the J-35 is called "FC-31" or "J-35AE/J-35E," these are designations of completely different natures.

The J-35 series fighter jet was initially designed as an export fighter. Both its prototype and initial versions were developed directly for export. This means that the export version appeared earlier than the version used by the PLA.

According to my internal sources, within the military-industrial complex, only the J-35 fighter jet equipped with the WS-19 engine is referred to as the J-35A. It has been confirmed that the WS-19 engine will not be exported (at least not in the short term). Therefore, its export version will not have the letter "A" in its designation. --- However, I don't rule out the possibility that CATIC might, for the sake of export promotion, refer to the J-35 (WS-21) as the J-35A (WS-21) in media publicity.

 

[Deino]

This is the original source.
View attachment 169339
The original text is from "齐天的孙猴子". This is a highly credible blogger.
============================================================
I know that many Chinese military bloggers are active on this forum. I don't know who @cir is. Or rather, I don't know if he is a well-known military blogger. I usually take a cautious approach to the analyses and written content of Chinese military bloggers, unless there are accompanying photos or sources cited.

According to publicly available information to date, the export version of the J-35 series fighter jet is still officially referred to as "FC-31," and there are no credible sources that refer to it as "J-35AE" or "J-35E."
It is generally believed that both of these code systems refer to export-oriented weapons and equipment. However, in reality, these two code systems have fundamental differences.
Whether the export version of the J-35 is called "FC-31" or "J-35AE/J-35E," these are designations of completely different natures.

The J-35 series fighter jet was initially designed as an export fighter. Both its prototype and initial versions were developed directly for export. This means that the export version appeared earlier than the version used by the PLA.

According to my internal sources, within the military-industrial complex, only the J-35 fighter jet equipped with the WS-19 engine is referred to as the J-35A. It has been confirmed that the WS-19 engine will not be exported (at least not in the short term). Therefore, its export version will not have the letter "A" in its designation. --- However, I don't rule out the possibility that CATIC might, for the sake of export promotion, refer to the J-35 (WS-21) as the J-35A (WS-21) in media publicity.

Hmm? In fact I don't know but my feeling is that some bloggers are not that strictly correct with designations, so when they say "J-35AE" and it is in fact still called FC-31, they most likely just mean "the export variant"!

As such, let's wait and see ...

Here a translated version of your post above:

 

[Michael]

Hmm? In fact I don't know but my feeling is that some bloggers are not that strictly correct with designations, so when they say "J-35AE" and it is in fact still called FC-31, they most likely just mean "the export variant"!

YES.

If we are not being strictly precise and simply want to refer to the export version of the J-35 series fighter jet, then it has indeed existed for a long time. This refers to the FC-31 prototype and its subsequent upgraded versions (still called FC-31).

However, if we are being precise in our description, then the J-35AE does not exist.

 

[Deino]

YES.

If we are not being strictly precise and simply want to refer to the export version of the J-35 series fighter jet, then it has indeed existed for a long time. This refers to the FC-31 prototype and its subsequent upgraded versions (still called FC-31).

However, if we are being precise in our description, then the J-35AE does not exist.



View attachment 169351

But AFAIR correctly, we have seen an official AVIC model labelled J-35AE!

 

[Michael]

But AFAIR correctly, we have seen an official AVIC model labelled J-35AE!

Can you provide the source of this information? Perhaps I need to update something?

 

[Ali_Baba]

This is the original source.
View attachment 169339
The original text is from "齐天的孙猴子". This is a highly credible blogger.
============================================================
I know that many Chinese military bloggers are active on this forum. I don't know who @cir is. Or rather, I don't know if he is a well-known military blogger. I usually take a cautious approach to the analyses and written content of Chinese military bloggers, unless there are accompanying photos or sources cited.

According to publicly available information to date, the export version of the J-35 series fighter jet is still officially referred to as "FC-31," and there are no credible sources that refer to it as "J-35AE" or "J-35E."
It is generally believed that both of these code systems refer to export-oriented weapons and equipment. However, in reality, these two code systems have fundamental differences.
Whether the export version of the J-35 is called "FC-31" or "J-35AE/J-35E," these are designations of completely different natures.

The J-35 series fighter jet was initially designed as an export fighter. Both its prototype and initial versions were developed directly for export. This means that the export version appeared earlier than the version used by the PLA.

According to my internal sources, within the military-industrial complex, only the J-35 fighter jet equipped with the WS-19 engine is referred to as the J-35A. It has been confirmed that the WS-19 engine will not be exported (at least not in the short term). Therefore, its export version will not have the letter "A" in its designation. --- However, I don't rule out the possibility that CATIC might, for the sake of export promotion, refer to the J-35 (WS-21) as the J-35A (WS-21) in media publicity.

I don't see many people wanting to get the J35AE until they can get a "mainstream" engine that is also used significantly by China as well. No one wants to get stuck with an engine problem that China will not care much about resolving quickly(or resolve in exchange at significant cost only). That will be a barrier to sales, similar to how no one really toon on the WS-13 engine for the FC1 fighter.

When the Americans sell the F16 for example, they sell it with the best engine they can, this applies to every fighter they sell. Both the GE and PW engines are the best and the client can select which one they want. So, it is difficult to understand the logic of restricting specific engine variants given that they are still most likely inferior to anything that the Americans are prepared to sell.

China will need to revisit its WS-19 "restrictions". It is one thing for China to restrict and quite another for a client country to take on technical risk that they don't want to manage on their own.

 

[Yasser76]

I don't see many people wanting to get the J35 until they can get a "mainstream" engine that is used significantly by China as well. No one wants to get stuck with an engine problem that China will not care much about. That will be a barrier to sales, similar to how no one really toon on the WS-13 engine for the FC1 fighter.

China will need to revisit its WS-19 "restrictions". It is one thing for China to restrict and quite another for a client country to take on technical risk that they don't want to manage on their own.

Yeah, not just that but imagine in wartime if we need jets from PLAAF stocks we need that commonality. Hopefully we can reassure the Chinese that we can keep things secure like we did with J-10 and PL-15

 

[lightning f57]

I don't see many people wanting to get the J35 until they can get a "mainstream" engine that is used significantly by China as well. No one wants to get stuck with an engine problem that China will not care much about. That will be a barrier to sales, similar to how no one really toon on the WS-13 engine for the FC1 fighter.

China will need to revisit its WS-19 "restrictions". It is one thing for China to restrict and quite another for a client country to take on technical risk that they don't want to manage on their own.

On the engine I know China
takes a different approach than the US, but the engine on F35 is the same it provides to all its close allies, it makes financial and maintenence sense. Also any country given the F35 passes the security consideration.

If China main aim is to fill its own ranks and export is an after thought then they can be more restrictive on what they will offer. But if export is a big component the W19 will need to be in contention, atleast when China fulfils its own internal needs.

 

[Ali_Baba]

On the engine I know China
takes a different approach than the US, but the engine on F35 is the same it provides to all its close allies, it makes financial and maintenence sense. Also any country given the F35 passes the security consideration.

If China main aim is to fill its own ranks and export is an after thought then they can be more restrictive on what they will offer. But if export is a big component the W19 will need to be in contention, atleast when China fulfils its own internal needs.

The logic of restriction makes no sense at a "logical" military security level at all and it imposes significant technical and operational risk on the client itself as well.

 

[lightning f57]

The logic of restriction makes no sense at a "logical" military security level at all and it imposes significant technical and operational risk on the client itself as well.

From a Pak perspective, aside from NK im not sure militarily who else would be closest to China in tech sharing wise.

 

[Yasser76]

The logic of restriction makes no sense at a "logical" military security level at all and it imposes significant technical and operational risk on the client itself as well.

Agreed, also it is massively in China's interests that PAF has high availability and can easily maintain it's J-35s. Lets remember for China we are not just a customer, we are a strategic ally.