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

[Michael]

Pardon, but which variant is then in production, when the PLAN J-35 isn't ready yet and per your previous post, the PLAAF J-35A "has not begun" yet? ... so the news is wrong?

Currently, all versions of the J-35 (both the Navy version and the Air Force version) are produced at the 601 Institute's pilot plant. They are R&D in nature production with very low capacity. And, improvements are made as they are produced.
The official mass production will take place at the newly built plant. That plant is still under construction.
These are two completely different modes of production. Usually, we formalize mass production as the start of production. I don't know how to express it in English, maybe the translation software has some problems too.

Factory 112 is the old code for SAC and the main factory of SAC. 601 Research Institute used to be the design department under Factory 112. Now, SAC is a big group of companies, and Factory 112 and 601 Research Institute are two of its subsidiaries. 601 Research Institute is nominally under SAC, but a lot of the actual work is directly managed by AVIC. Its pilot plant is also on the old Factory 112 site, but is used and managed somewhat differently.

As you can understand it, mass production work on all versions of the J-35 has not begun. However, small-scale production work has been going on.

 

[Deino]

Thanks ... so just to be sure: both variants are currently at the old main facility (Factory 112) in what could be called LRIP!



... and when the new plant is ready, it will be produced in full serial production (most likely at a pulsed production line?) at the new site about 24 km further north-east!

 

[Michael]

Thanks ... so just to be sure: both variants are currently at the old main facility (Factory 112) in what could be called LRIP!

View attachment 96373

... and when the new plant is ready, it will be produced in full serial production (most likely at a pulsed production line?) at the new site about 24 km further north-east!

View attachment 96374
View attachment 96375

Your understanding is absolutely correct.
I'm very sorry for my bad English. I am not familiar with many English abbreviations.
Translation software is very often prone to misunderstandings.

SAC's original plan was to deliver a batch of J-35A to PLAAF for training purposes within this year.
Now, PLAAF has given notice that this batch of J-35A will be delivered earlier. They will participate in this year's parade and pilots will need to train on them well in advance.

 

[Deino]

PS: via Alfa_Particle at the SDF:

A video (actually a live image so I can't paste it here):

https://www.xiaohongshu.com/discove...Yfq455qRnY2hgcmc8rk3CwU=&xsec_source=pc_share

 

[Michael]

PS: via Alfa_Particle at the SDF:
https://www.xiaohongshu.com/discove...Yfq455qRnY2hgcmc8rk3CwU=&xsec_source=pc_share

You can just download this app.
It seems to be the only Chinese social app that is currently open to foreigners that can be used directly.

RedNote (小红书 Xiaohongshu)
Foreigners can download it directly from Apple Store and register with Apple ID to access and use this app normally.
Now, there are many foreigners who communicate with Chinese people directly through this app.
It now has the tacit approval of the Chinese government. So, it will not shut down the access and use function for foreigners. Unless foreign governments take the initiative to close access to it.

 

[Deino]

The Navy version of the J-35 is currently being flight-tested with the WS-21 engine. a Navy version of the WS-19 engine is not yet ready. The basic certainty is that the Navy will follow with the WS-19 engine.
However, it is uncertain whether the Navy will procure a small production Navy version of the J-35 (WS-21). Or, wait for next year to procure the J-35 (WS-19) Navy version directly?

Me again, sorry! And the PLAAF variant J-35A? Is here the WS-19 variant ready or will they also use the WS-21 for the initial LRIP aircraft?

 

[Michael]

Me again, sorry! And the PLAAF variant J-35A? Is here the WS-19 variant ready or will they also use the WS-21 for the initial LRIP aircraft?

Reliable sources are:
WS-19 order is from PLAAF; WS-21 order is from PLA Navy.PLAAF has not procured the WS-21 engine.The WS-19 Navy version has not been test flown yet, it is not ready.

PLAAF's J-35A (WS-19) is currently very few in number. I would speculate that it probably only has about 1-3 aircraft right now. PLAAF's J-35A (WS-19) is currently in small-scale production. It will participate in this year's parade.
The number of Navy versions of the J-35 (WS-21) is unknown, but there won't be many. The Navy version of the J-35 does not currently have a WS-19 version.

SAC has a few Air Force version of the J-35 (WS-21), the exact number is unknown. They are early test versions and foreign trade versions and PLAAF will not officially procure them.
The J-35A(WS-21) and J-35A(WS-19) were seen at the 2024 Zhuhai Airshow.IMO.SAC was demonstrating the performance of the foreign trade version of the J-35(WS-21) to international customers.

 

[iblini]

 

[Michael]

The J-35A model in the official news. ------Side missile bay!

 

[Deino]

The J-35A model in the official news. ------Side missile bay!
View attachment 97100

That’s not a weapons bay … It’s for the avionics

 

[Michael]

That’s not a weapons bay … It’s for the avionics

I'm referring to this model. I'm certainly aware that the J-35s revealed so far don't have side missile bay.

On this model, it does have side missile bay. It follows the design style of the J-20's side missile bay.

 

[Deino]

I'm referring to this model. I'm certainly aware that the J-35s revealed so far don't have side missile bay.

On this model, it does have side missile bay. It follows the design style of the J-20's side missile bay.

I know, but my point is this model just shows this small / minor error - aka a longer avionics bay than it actual is - only to deliberately spread the rumour again ... in fact it is just an error and nothing changed. There is simply not enough space around or above the intake to fit a PL-10 side-bay.

 

[Michael]

I know, but my point is this model just shows this small / minor error - aka a longer avionics bay than it actual is - only to deliberately spread the rumour again ... in fact it is just an error and nothing changed. There is simply not enough space around or above the intake to fit a PL-10 side-bay.

1, this on the model, is indeed a side missile bay. it is half open at the moment. If you compare the J-20's side missile bay, you'll see they are very similar. It does not resemble a typical avionics bay.

2, The paint on this model is PLAAF's 75th anniversary edition. This means this model is the latest version of the model. This news is CCTV's ace news program, it is unlikely to release fake news.

It is indeed different from the J-35 revealed so far. It could be some future version of the J-35.

My personal analysis.
China's current new fighters really don't need dogfight missiles very much. China has a strong and well-developed integrated intelligence reconnaissance system, and our fighters are fully capable of eliminating threats at longer ranges rather than being forced into dogfights with the enemy.
But the J-35 will be exported. Many countries do not have a well-developed integrated intelligence reconnaissance system. When the J-35 is exported to other countries, they will be faced with dogfight scenarios. the J-35 does not have a Gatling gun. If it no longer carries dogfight missiles, it will lose its dogfighting capability altogether. This is hard for other countries to accept.
Many of PLAAF's advanced electronic information systems, when exported, do not work in other countries' systems because the electronic information systems of other countries are not well developed. Therefore, they are likely to be eliminated in the foreign trade version.
So, there is room for dogfighting missiles.
Of course, this is entirely my personal guess.

 

[Deino]

A great image of a naval J-35 in green primer!

Not sure if it is an older image released just now showing one of the prototypes or even a recent one suggesting a LRIP aircraft.

EDIT/Update: seems to be the first prototype due to the non-retractable fixed Luneburg-lense.

(Image via @太湖军I名 from Weibo)

 

[Deino]

Via ACuriousPLAFan/SDF:

"A badge indicating J-35 being capable of operating from the STOBAR twins."

Posted by @Captain小潇 on Weibo.