New PLA stealth fighter jet to debut at Zhuhai Airshow

The People's Liberation Army Air Force declassified its latest hardware, the J-35A stealth fighter jet, on Tuesday, saying the model will make its public debut at an upcoming airshow.

Colonel Niu Wenbo from the PLA Air Force's Equipment Department told reporters at a news conference in Beijing on Tuesday morning that the J-35A will take part in the 15th China International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition, set for Nov 12-17 in Zhuhai, Guangdong province.

According to him, the J-35A is a mid-size stealth combat plane with multiple roles.

Apart from a picture of the J-35A at an airport, the officer did not give details about the new aircraft such as whether it has been commissioned or in which way it will be shown to the public at the exhibition.

Popularly known as the Zhuhai Airshow, the biennial China International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition is the country's largest arms show and is recognized as one of the world's most significant defense exhibitions.

Tuesday's announcement by the Chinese military has made public the long-anticipated J-35 series, a hot topic of speculations and analyses among military observers at home and abroad.

Upon its commissioning, China will become the second nation, following the United States, that has two types of stealth fighter jets in active service.

Currently, the PLA Air Force has deployed a large fleet of J-20 heavy-duty stealth combat aircraft, which it began commissioning in late 2016.

The J-20 made its maiden public appearance at the 11th Zhuhai Airshow in November 2016.

According to Aviation Industry Corp of China, the country's dominant aircraft maker, the J-35A symbolizes a new milestone in the State-owned conglomerate's endeavor to improve the PLA's arsenal and support its integrated joint combat system.

The new fifth-generation fighter jet is designed by the Shenyang Aircraft Design and Research Institute and will be primarily used for air combat. The plane can also conduct strikes against targets on land and at sea, the company said in a news release.

Wang Yongqing, chief designer at the institute, said the J-35A features world-class technologies and has good stealth, information and intelligence capabilities.

It is able to detect and hit hostile planes before they do so and has outstanding superiority when engaging with fourth-generation jets, he added.

Defense industry observers said there are several variants in the J-35 family, including the J-35A that is designed for the air force and another model for deployment on aircraft carriers. The series has a common root, called the FC-31, which is a technology-demonstration prototype of stealth combat aircraft designed by the Shenyang institute.

The FC-31 was unveiled in October 2012 when the prototype made its maiden flight at the Zhuhai Airshow that year, becoming China's second prototype of fifth-generation fighter jet, following the J-20.

In addition to the J-35A, the J-20 and Russia's Sukhoi Su-57 are also set to take part in the upcoming Zhuhai event. If that happens, it will become the first time in the world that three models of stealth combat jets appear in a single show.