PAF J-35AE - News, Updates and Discussions

[mythbuster]

Yeah, if J-35 will be used heavily by PLAN and PLAAF there will be very few countries they can trust it with, very few. This is why I think is another reason we may not have gone for V upgrade for F-16.

I do not think we can tolerate any formal US military presence in Pakistan outside of their embassy staff....

Once bitten twice shy , we have learnt our lesson and we ain't going for any meaningful military purchase from USA....we are just managing the relationship, we don't want an ugly situation to develop.

 

[Michael]

I’m not sure, generally media in Chinese language acknowledges WS21 is a developed version (WS13-> WS13E -> WS21) of WS13 which itself is a licensed RD93 powering JF17.

I have explained this issue countless times. You can check the previous posts.

 

[MH.Yang]

It matters a lot , one thing I am pretty sure about is that if PLAAF gets WS 19 then Paf will also get it.....it may not be available to other countries ..... tbh , I don't see any other country importing J 35 in the near future.

There are rumors that countries such as Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Egypt, Thailand, and Algeria are interested in purchasing J-35. Chinese officials believe that export orders for J-35 will exceed 500 aircraft.


PLAAF is transitioning to 6G, and J-35 cannot obtain too many PLAAF orders. In fact, the new factory of J-35 in Shenyang is clearly prepared for a large number of export orders.

 

[mythbuster]

No, Egypt surely is looking into the possibility of J35 induction. Although undeniable Egypt will face much more western pressure than Pakistan in doing so. This is the same reason why gulf countries can’t buy sensitive equipments like fighters directly from China.

Pressure aside , I am not sure if china is keen to sell them J 35.

 

[东风夜放花千树]

i still dont understand it
if pakistan were in indias position ( china as enemy , good economy ) , we would have had f35s by know .

We need to analyze from several aspects.

1. India’s foreign policy. The United States hopes for India to act as a proxy, but India wants to cooperate with the U.S. on an equal footing. India often swings between the U.S. and Russia to gain benefits. The U.S. does not have the same control and influence over India as it does in Europe, and therefore cannot trust India.

2. Fifth-generation fighters exist only within a system. This is why Pakistan purchased the J-35 while also acquiring the KJ-500 and air defense systems. Pakistan has already sent its ZDK-03 to China for upgrades that include electronic warfare systems. NATO countries’ F-35s rely on U.S. military support, which is also how the U.S. controls NATO countries. The U.S. is too far from India to provide sufficient military support (early warning, electronic warfare, etc.). China has a complete reconnaissance and satellite system, and Russia has been India’s long-term partner. If the U.S. were to sell a complete system to India, it would worry about technology and data leakage.

3. Reasons on the U.S. side. The trade volume between the U.S. and China has always been high. The U.S. abandoned the gold-dollar system and shifted to the oil-dollar system. Now the oil-dollar system has become unstable, and there is a bubble due to the over-issuance of dollars. The U.S. hopes that cheap industrial products can stabilize the dollar, suppress inflation, and maintain the dollar’s purchasing power. At the same time, the U.S. hopes that China will buy U.S. debt. This period was between 2001 and 2016. These interests were far greater than selling advanced weapons to India.

This is a chart of China’s holdings of U.S. debt.


After 2016, we already had enough strength to counter the U.S. military threat. We began to significantly reduce our U.S. debt holdings. In 2017, India joined the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. Therefore, from the F-35 test flights to 2020, the U.S. did not sell F-35s to India.

Now, it is even less likely. Pakistan has shown the world India’s strength. What worries the U.S. more is that if India gets the F-35, it might demand benefits from China and Russia. India’s foreign policy has always been like this.

 

[mythbuster]

There are rumors that countries such as Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Egypt, Thailand, and Algeria are interested in purchasing J-35. Chinese officials believe that export orders for J-35 will exceed 500 aircraft.


PLAAF is transitioning to 6G, and J-35 cannot obtain too many PLAAF orders. In fact, the new factory of J-35 in Shenyang is clearly prepared for a large number of export orders.

If all the countries you mentioned buy J 35 then it will be a tectonic shift in the geopolitics and geostrategic order of the world.

 

[MH.Yang]

If all the countries you mentioned buy J 35 then it will be a tectonic shift in the geopolitics and geostrategic order of the world.

Chinese military media predicts that 6G fighter jets will enter service in 2028 and deploy over 100 by 2030. So the window period for the J-35 to join PLAAF will be as short and limited as the J-10C.

At present, PLAAF's demand for J-35 aircraft is only around 430, while the Navy requires 500 carrier based aircraft. The productivity of the new factory in Shenyang will mainly serve export orders.

China will not create such a large new factory for no reason. The J-35 will be China's F-16/MiG-21.

 

[东风夜放花千树]

My new prediction is July 2026

You are a talented person, hahaha.

 

[Yasser76]

There are rumors that countries such as Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Egypt, Thailand, and Algeria are interested in purchasing J-35. Chinese officials believe that export orders for J-35 will exceed 500 aircraft.


PLAAF is transitioning to 6G, and J-35 cannot obtain too many PLAAF orders. In fact, the new factory of J-35 in Shenyang is clearly prepared for a large number of export orders.

UAE!? May as well hand over the plane to the Americans....

 

[东风夜放花千树]

Who knows when this video was shot

Not clear, our authoritative media will not use real-time footage in promotional videos.

For example, on September 22, 2025, the authoritative media released a video of the Fujian ship successfully carrying out electromagnetic launches of the J-35, J-15T, and KJ-600. Some people noticed that in a brief shot, the time displayed was March 19, 2025.

 

[HH-9A]

Pressure aside , I am not sure if china is keen to sell them J 35.

SAC the manufacturer of J35 has expanded the production facilities dramatically, so they need order.

Last year, KJ500 and J10C participated Egypt airshow and Egyptian Air Force chief showed obvious interest in J35.

I guess if Egypt buys J35, they likely will get gulf funding as well, although how much remains a question.

 

[Yasser76]

Not clear, our authoritative media will not use real-time footage in promotional videos.

For example, on September 22, 2025, the authoritative media released a video of the Fujian ship successfully carrying out electromagnetic launches of the J-35, J-15T, and KJ-600. Some people noticed that in a brief shot, the time displayed was March 19, 2025.

So good chance there maybe quite a few export models already made by now?

 

[东风夜放花千树]

Algeria beat us to the stealth part. They have SU-57s flying around the country.

Russia's SU-57 has an annual production of only 7 units.

Currently, the Russian Aerospace Forces' orders have not been fulfilled.

 

[东风夜放花千树]

So good chance there maybe quite a few export models already made by now?

My friend, I am telling the truth.

If I knew these secrets, there are only two possibilities.

First, I am a senior military officer or a senior executive of a military company.

Second, I am a spy, and I would be sentenced.

 

[Ali_Baba]

There are rumors that countries such as Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Egypt, Thailand, and Algeria are interested in purchasing J-35. Chinese officials believe that export orders for J-35 will exceed 500 aircraft.


PLAAF is transitioning to 6G, and J-35 cannot obtain too many PLAAF orders. In fact, the new factory of J-35 in Shenyang is clearly prepared for a large number of export orders.

If China wants the J-35 to be an export "success", then it needs to itself make a commitment to the platform, otherwise buyers will be wary of China's own long term commitment to the platform as a user as well.