China's J-35A stealth fighter is 'black box' despite splashy debut

11/11/2024 12:05

        China's much-anticipated J-35A stealth aircraft, centrepiece of this week's Zhuhai air show, has been more than a decade in the making, but experts say little is known about its capabilities.
        
        The first public appearance of the land-based J-35A will take place on Tuesday, a day after the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People's Liberation Army Air Force, and will include a flying display. Another variant, the J-35, is designed for use with China's aircraft carriers.
        
        Even as it takes to the skies more than 10 years after its progenitor, the J-31, made its first flight, few details are public about the J-35's performance or stealthiness, military analysts say.
        
        The J-35 and J-35A are designed and built by the Shenyang Aircraft Corporation, a unit of the state-owned Aviation Industry Corporation of China. The state-controlled People's Daily news outlet said ahead of the air show the J-35A "mainly carries out the task of seizing and maintaining air supremacy".