J-31 to be inducted soon| Pilot training reportedly in progress

[Fatman17]

The latest image (May 2024) indicated that at least one J-31 prototype has been flying at SAC, featuring an FC-31 style single-wheel nose gear and an IRST underneath the nose.
- Last Updated 5/25/24

 

[Fatman17]

As a private venture of AVIC, FC-31 (initially dubbed AFC/Advanced Fighter Concept) has been promoted at the international market as a low-cost alternative to American F-35. Its first foreign customer is expected to be Pakistani AF (dubbed J-31), which has been the primary customer of Chinese made combat aircraft.

 

[Deino]

So what happened to the interim land based prototype? It seems like an iteration was shelved.

There was no interim landbased prototype, only the two well-known FC-31 demonstrators

 

[S.Y.A]

how does its stealth and sensor characteristics stack up against those in f-35? are the materials coated or baked in? what will be the maintenance cost?

 

[Deino]

how does its stealth and sensor characteristics stack up against those in f-35? are the materials coated or baked in? what will be the maintenance cost?

Do you think any of your very detailed and most specific questions could be answered by anyone here?

 

[UKBengali]

I still think this fighter will come into service with PAF between 2026-2028, with 2027/2028 more likely dates of initial induction of first squadron of 12-18 planes.

China just has too much experience from the J-20 to require many, many years of development as it just needs to scale down from J-20.

The WS-19 engine will be the major hurdle and if that goes smoothly then no reason it should not be in service between 2026-2028.

 

[Deino]

I really don’t understand this obsession with 2026?

 

[Deino]

According to the online military blogger Ding Shengda Biao, The Air Force version of j35/j31 was officially approved in 2019 and made its maiden flight in 2023 last year
2023.9.26
View attachment 43499

What does the red circle want us to show?

 

[guangdongt]

What does the red circle want us to show?

This is a forwarded image that was originally labeled, and some people only speculate that it has a hinged flat tail structure

 

[Oscar]

There was no interim landbased prototype, only the two well-known FC-31 demonstrators

So there is the first one with the trapezoidal tails -
Then there was the parallelogram tailed prototype and then the J-31 carrier variant right?
Or am I mistaken in adding the one in between?

 

[S.Y.A]

Do you think any of your very detailed and most specific questions could be answered by anyone here?

these are neither detailed nor specific other than the one about maintenance costs. anyone who works in a related field will have a good idea about the capabilities of both aircraft and can give a very good estimate.

 

[Deino]

these are neither detailed nor specific other than the one about maintenance costs. anyone who works in a related field will have a good idea about the capabilities of both aircraft and can give a very good estimate.

For sure, but since the J-31 is not existent yet, the J-35 - as the closest analogue - a strictly top-secret PLAN project also still in flight testing, do you really believe anyone "who works in a related field" aka at SAC would tell us this here is a public fan-forum?

 

[Deino]

So there is the first one with the trapezoidal tails -
Then there was the parallelogram tailed prototype and then the J-31 carrier variant right?
Or am I mistaken in adding the one in between?

This maybe helps: it shows a summarised "FC-31 to J-35 and more development" chart made by "Alpha_Particle" from the SDF and added with my own comments:

 

[Flotilla]

This maybe helps: it shows a summarised "FC-31 to J-35 and more development" chart made by "Alpha_Particle" from the SDF and added with my own comments:

View attachment 43836

Hey man, seems a turkish soap opera... they killed three brothers in law... (RIP FC-31/FC-31 export and J-35)...

 

[Deino]

Hey man, seems a turkish soap opera... they killed three brothers in law... (RIP FC-31/FC-31 export and J-35)...

Why? From my understanding there was always the main aim to develop a carrier-capable fighter for the PLAN, a potential export version J-31 or whatever it may be called was IMO only a cover story and to gain interest.

As such, why "RIP FC-31/FC-31 export and J-35"?