Shenyang FC-31 / J-35 — History, Specs & Stories

Shenyang FC-31 J-31 stealth fighter demonstrator in flight
Aircraft Museum · Stealth fighter · FC-31 / J-35

Shenyang FC-31 / J-35
China’s second stealth fighter

A twin-engine, medium-weight fifth-generation design developed by Shenyang into the carrier-based J-35 and the land-based J-35A. Much about it is unconfirmed — almost every figure below is a reported estimate, not official data.

2012FC-31 demonstrator first flew
~28,000 kgEstimated max takeoff weight
~Mach 1.8Estimated top speed
2024J-35A public debut · Zhuhai
Photo: Danny Yu · CC BY-SA 4.0
RoleMultirole stealth fighter (5th-gen)EraContemporaryMotor2 × turbofan (WS-13 / WS-19, reported)OriginChina · Shenyang (SAC)StatusEntering service (China)Want to fly a real fighter jet yourself?
A História

The FC-31 / J-35: China’s second stealth fighter

The aircraft now generally known as the J-35 began life as the FC-31, a twin-engine stealth-fighter demonstrator built by the Shenyang Aircraft Corporation (SAC). Reported to have first flown on 31 October 2012, the demonstrator was widely described as a company-funded project rather than an aircraft formally commissioned by the Chinese military at that stage. It made China the second country, after the United States, to fly more than one stealth-fighter design — alongside the larger, heavier Chengdu J-20.

Over the following decade the design evolved. A revised second prototype flew in 2016, and the programme is reported to have shifted toward a naval future: a carrier-capable variant, the J-35, is said to have first flown around 2021, apparently intended to operate from the PLA Navy’s catapult-equipped carrier Fujian. A land-based variant, the J-35A, was publicly unveiled at the Zhuhai Airshow in November 2024 — the clearest official sign that the design had moved beyond a demonstrator toward a fielded fighter.

Analysts frequently frame the J-35 as a smaller, more numerous complement to the J-20, loosely echoing the way the F-35 sits alongside the F-22 in American service. That comparison is an outside interpretation, not an official Chinese statement, and it should not be read as a claim of capability parity. The aircraft’s general shape — a faceted, blended forebody, side intakes and an internal weapons bay — also invites frequent comparison with Lockheed Martin’s F-35. Similar silhouettes, however, can reflect convergent stealth-design choices as much as anything else, and outward resemblance reveals little about internal systems.

What is genuinely established is fairly limited: the aircraft exists, has flown in several prototype forms, has a carrier variant (J-35) and a land variant (J-35A), and is reported to be entering PLA Navy service in the mid-2020s. Almost everything else — its engines, weight, radar, weapons load, true stealth signature, cost and production numbers — rests on photographs, airshow appearances, satellite imagery and Chinese state media rather than independently verified data. For that reason, careful coverage hedges nearly every performance figure as reported, estimated ou believed, and this page does the same.

Almost every specification attached to the J-35 is an estimate. What is certain is narrow: the aircraft exists, it has flown, and it has a carrier and a land variant.A fighter wrapped in secrecy — why the numbers stay hedged
01The FC-31, J-31 and J-35: untangling the designations

The name history is genuinely confusing, and much of it is unofficial. FC-31 (“Fighter China”) was an export-oriented company designation for the original demonstrator. J-31 was a tentative label widely used by outside observers, but it was reportedly never confirmed as an official PLA designation. J-35 refers to the more mature operational programme; the carrier variant is the J-35, and the land-based air-force variant, publicly shown in 2024, is the J-35A. In short, the shifting names track the aircraft’s evolution from a private demonstrator toward a fielded military type — and some designation details are still not fully pinned down by independent analysts.

Design & Engineering

What makes the FC-31 / J-35 notable

01

A twin-engine medium stealth design

Unlike the single-engine F-35, the FC-31 / J-35 uses two engines. It shows the visible hallmarks of a low-observable fighter — a faceted, blended airframe, edge-aligned surfaces, angled tails, diverterless supersonic inlets and an internal ventral weapons bay to carry munitions without signature-spoiling external stores. These traits indicate stealth intent; the aircraft’s actual radar cross-section, which depends on coatings, materials and tolerances that cannot be judged from photographs, has not been publicly established.

02

An engine that keeps changing

The powerplant has been one of the programme’s most persistent open questions. Early demonstrators reportedly flew on Russian RD-93 engines (an RD-33 derivative), later said to give way to the domestic WS-13, with reporting increasingly pointing to a newer WS-19 (and in some accounts a WS-21). Which engine actually equips production aircraft is not firmly confirmed, and at least one leaked assessment reportedly questioned the newer engines’ performance. Treat any thrust, speed or supercruise claim as an estimate.

03

Adapted for the carrier deck

The naval J-35 is reported to add folding wings, strengthened dual-wheel nose gear with a catapult launch bar, and reinforced structure for catapult launch and arrested recovery — for operation from Fujian (Type 003), the only non-US carrier fitted with electromagnetic catapults. The land-based J-35A visibly differs, with a lighter structure, a single nose wheel and no catapult bar. Catapult launches of the J-35 from Fujian have been shown in PLA Navy footage, though full operational readiness is harder to verify independently.

02The FC-31 / J-35’s engines: why the powerplant is still a question mark

Engine maturity has long been viewed as a potential constraint on Chinese fighter programmes, and the J-35 is a case in point. The lineage most often reported runs from the Russian RD-93, to the domestic WS-13 family, toward a more capable WS-19 (“Huangshan”), with a WS-21 mentioned in some accounts as an interim step. Sources disagree over which engine flies on current aircraft, and whether it enables supercruise. None of this is officially confirmed by China, and independent analysts caution that leaked performance claims — positive or negative — are difficult to verify. Any specific thrust figure attached to the type should be read as an estimate.

03The FC-31 / J-35 and the F-35: similar shape, different machine

The J-35 is routinely compared to the F-35, and some commentators allege design influence aided by cyber-espionage. Analysts urge caution: broadly similar stealth silhouettes recur across fifth-generation designs — the South Korean KF-21 and Indian AMCA share comparable layouts — because similar requirements tend to produce similar shapes. A clear configuration difference is that the J-35 is twin-engine while the F-35 is single-engine. Claims that the two aircraft are equivalent in stealth, sensors, software or networking, or that one is simply a copy of the other, are not supported by public evidence, and should be treated with caution in either direction.

Technical Data

Full specifications (estimated)

China has released almost no official data on the FC-31 / J-35. Every figure below is a reported estimate — many trace back to the original FC-31 demonstrator and may no longer hold for the J-35A. Treat them as order-of-magnitude, not confirmed.

Airframe & Performance (estimated)

Equipe
1
Comprimento
~17.3 m (reported)
Envergadura
~11.5 m (reported)
Altura
~4.8 m (estimated)
Peso vazio
~17,000 kg (estimated, low confidence)
Max takeoff weight
~28,000 kg (estimated)
Max speed
~Mach 1.8 (estimated)
Raio de combate
~1,200 km (FC-31-era estimate)
Teto de serviço
~20,000 m (estimated)

Propulsion, Systems & Programme

Engines
2 × turbofan — RD-93 / WS-13, WS-19 or WS-21 (reported)
Thrust
Not officially disclosed
Weapons
Internal ventral bay + external hardpoints; PL-10 / PL-15 family (reported)
Radar
AESA (type undisclosed)
First flight
31 October 2012 (FC-31 demonstrator, reported)
Variants
FC-31 / J-31 · J-35 (carrier) · J-35A (land)
Unit cost
No reliable public figure
Cost per flight hour
No reliable public figure
04The FC-31 / J-35’s cost: why no reliable price exists

There is no reliable public unit-cost or cost-per-flight-hour figure for the FC-31 / J-35. It is a Chinese state programme, not sold on an open market, and Beijing has disclosed neither procurement prices nor operating costs. Any dollar figure circulating online — whether for the aircraft or a reported export version — is speculative. The same caution applies to production numbers: some 2025–26 reports infer roughly 30 airframes built in under a year from apparent serial numbers, but those are estimates drawn from imagery, not official data.

Timeline

From demonstrator to carrier fighter

2012

FC-31 demonstrator flies

The Shenyang FC-31 technology demonstrator (serial 31001) is reported to make its first flight on 31 October, a company-funded project rather than a commissioned military programme.

2014

Public debut at Zhuhai

The FC-31 / J-31 appears publicly at Airshow China in Zhuhai, giving outside observers their first close look at the aircraft.

2016

Revised prototype

A reworked second prototype flies with aerodynamic and airframe refinements over the original demonstrator.

~2021

Naval J-35 first flight

A navalised prototype, later associated with the J-35 designation, is reported to fly, apparently aimed at carrier operations.

2024

J-35A unveiled

China publicly presents the land-based J-35A at the Zhuhai Airshow in November, near the PLA Air Force’s 75th anniversary — the first official acknowledgement of an air-force variant.

2025

Carrier catapult tests

PLA Navy footage shows a J-35 launching from the carrier Fujian via electromagnetic catapult; analysts note the trials likely occurred earlier in the year.

2025

Fujian commissioned

The Type 003 carrier Fujian is commissioned, with the J-35 reported as part of its intended air wing.

2025–26

Reported export talk

Pakistan is widely reported as a prospective first export customer for a J-35 derivative, though no deliveries have been independently confirmed.

Stories & Eyewitnesses

Twelve things to know about the FC-31 / J-35

First flight

A 2012 debut over Shenyang

The aircraft that became the J-35 first flew as a company-funded demonstrator in 2012.

Read the full story
The lineage now known as the J-35 traces back to a technology demonstrator, serial 31001, reported to have made its maiden flight on 31 October 2012 at Shenyang. Sources describe it as a self-funded project by Shenyang Aircraft Corporation and parent AVIC rather than a programme formally commissioned by the military at that stage. Much about its early performance was never officially disclosed, and outside assessments relied heavily on photographs and limited state coverage.
Name game

From FC-31 to J-31 to J-35

The jet has carried at least three labels, and observers often used them interchangeably.

Read the full story
The aircraft has gone by several designations. It was first shown as the FC-31, an export-oriented marketing name, and was widely nicknamed the “J-31” by observers — though that label reportedly never carried official military status. As the design matured it became associated with the J-35, and a land-based variant was later identified as the J-35A. The shifting names reflect its evolution from a private demonstrator toward a fielded type, and some naming details remain incompletely confirmed.
Rare company

Two stealth fighters, one new member

With the J-35 alongside the J-20, China is reported to be the only nation besides the US fielding two stealth-fighter designs.

Read the full story
Analysts widely note that, with the J-35 joining the larger J-20, China appears to have become the only country besides the United States to develop two distinct stealth-fighter designs at roughly the same time. The comparison is usually framed as a milestone in industrial capacity rather than a claim about capability. How the two Chinese types actually perform, and how mature their systems are, remains far less certain than the raw fact of their existence.
Carrier bird

Built for the deck of the Fujian

The naval J-35 is reported to be designed for catapult launches from China’s newest carrier.

Read the full story
The J-35 is described as the PLA Navy’s carrier-capable stealth fighter, reportedly featuring folding wings, reinforced landing gear and a catapult launch bar. It has been linked to testing aboard the Type 003 carrier Fujian, which uses an electromagnetic catapult system. Reports mention trials with both the launch and arresting systems, though claims of full operational readiness should be treated cautiously. Real-world sortie rates, range and reliability at sea remain largely unverified.
Public reveal

The J-35A takes the stage at Zhuhai

In November 2024, China publicly unveiled a land-based version of the fighter.

Read the full story
At the Zhuhai Airshow in November 2024, China publicly presented the land-based J-35A, reportedly timed to coincide with the Air Force’s 75th anniversary. The appearance was the clearest official acknowledgement that the design had moved beyond the demonstrator stage. The J-35A is described as a de-navalised variant without the heavy carrier-specific structure. As with such reveals, it offered visual confirmation of the airframe while disclosing little verifiable detail about sensors, weapons or performance.
Engine question

The powerplant puzzle

What actually powers the J-35 has been one of its most persistent open questions.

Read the full story
The aircraft’s engines have been a moving target. Early demonstrators reportedly flew on Russian RD-93 engines, later said to be replaced by the domestic WS-13 and its variants. Reporting increasingly points to a newer domestic engine, often cited as the WS-19, and in some accounts a WS-21. It is not firmly established which engine equips production aircraft, and at least one leaked assessment reportedly questioned the newer engines’ performance. Claims about supercruise or top speed remain unconfirmed.
F-35 comparison

Familiar silhouette, different machine

The J-35 is often compared to the F-35, but the two are not equivalents.

Read the full story
The J-35’s general shape, with a faceted stealth forebody and side intakes, invites frequent comparison to the F-35, and some commentators allege design influence. Analysts caution that visual similarity likely reflects convergent stealth choices as much as anything, and that outward resemblance says little about internal systems. A key difference is configuration: the J-35 is twin-engine, the F-35 single-engine. Parity claims in either direction are not supported by public evidence.
Known unknowns

A fighter wrapped in secrecy

Much of what is said about the J-35 remains unconfirmed or state-sourced.

Read the full story
Despite growing public exposure, a great deal about the J-35 is still unverified. Reported figures for combat radius, weight, weapons-bay dimensions, radar performance and true stealth signature largely trace back to Chinese state media or unofficial estimates. Even the operational engine and the navy variant’s exact designation have been described as not fully confirmed. Independent analysis relies on photographs, airshow appearances and satellite imagery rather than hands-on data.
Export talk

The reported Pakistan deal

Pakistan is widely reported to be pursuing the J-35, but no delivery has been confirmed.

Read the full story
Multiple reports since late 2024 have described Pakistan as a prospective first foreign operator, with figures such as 40 aircraft cited for an export variant sometimes labelled J-35E. Pakistani officials have reportedly referenced an impending purchase, and a Chinese offer has been mentioned in Pakistani government communications. As of mid-2026, however, there is no independently confirmed evidence that any aircraft have been delivered. Coverage generally treats the arrangement as an offer or intent rather than a fulfilled contract.
Stealth shaping

Angles, coatings and an internal bay

The design shows the hallmarks of a low-observable fighter, though its true signature is unknown.

Read the full story
The J-35 displays features associated with low-observable design: a faceted, blended airframe, angled tails, edge alignment and an internal weapons bay to carry munitions without external hardpoints. These traits broadly resemble those of other fifth-generation fighters. But stealth performance depends heavily on materials, coatings, manufacturing tolerances and electronic management that cannot be judged from external photos. The aircraft’s actual radar cross-section, and how it compares to Western designs, has not been publicly established.
Carrier airpower

What a stealthy carrier jet could mean

If it matures as reported, the J-35 would change the shape of Chinese naval aviation.

Read the full story
A carrier-capable stealth fighter operating from a catapult-equipped ship like Fujian would, in principle, give the Chinese navy a qualitatively new tool, extending low-observable reach beyond the coastline. Analysts generally frame this as a meaningful potential shift if the aircraft, its carrier and their supporting systems reach full maturity together. Those are significant conditions: fielding a few airframes is different from sustaining reliable, high-tempo carrier operations. The implications are real but contingent.
Production ramp

Reports of a fast assembly line

Some accounts suggest the J-35 is being built at a notable pace, though numbers are unverified.

Read the full story
Reporting in 2025 and 2026 has pointed to a relatively rapid production ramp, with some accounts inferring roughly 30 airframes built in under a year from apparent serial numbers, and suggesting China aims to accelerate further. Such figures are estimates drawn from imagery and serials rather than official production data, and should be treated as indicative. If broadly accurate they would fit a wider pattern emphasising manufacturing scale — though quantity claims are easier to assert than to independently confirm.
Gallery

The FC-31 / J-35 in pictures

The FC-31 / J-31 demonstrator in flight at Zhuhai, 2014 the airframe that began the programme.
The FC-31 / J-31 demonstrator in flight at Zhuhai, 2014 — the airframe that began the programme.Photo: Danny Yu · CC BY-SA 4.0
The FC-31 / J-31 demonstrator on the ground at Zhuhai, 2014, showing its twin-engine, twin-tail layout.
The FC-31 / J-31 demonstrator on the ground at Zhuhai, 2014, showing its twin-engine, twin-tail layout.Photo: 天剣2 · CC BY-SA 4.0
An FC-31 2.0 prototype on static display at the Shenyang Aircraft Corporation Aviation Expo Park.
An FC-31 2.0 prototype on static display at the Shenyang Aircraft Corporation Aviation Expo Park.Photo: TurnOnTheNight · CC BY-SA 4.0
The land-based J-35A seen from below at Airshow China, Zhuhai 2024 note the internal-bay lines.
The land-based J-35A seen from below at Airshow China, Zhuhai 2024 — note the internal-bay lines.Photo: Z3144228 · CC0
A J-35A (foreground) flies in formation with a J-20 and a J-16 Chinas two stealth types together.
A J-35A (foreground) flies in formation with a J-20 and a J-16 — China’s two stealth types together.Photo: China News Service · CC BY 4.0
A PLA Navy J-35 on the deck of the carrier Fujian, the intended home of the naval variant.
A PLA Navy J-35 on the deck of the carrier Fujian, the intended home of the naval variant.Photo: China News Service · CC BY 4.0
Operations

Where the FC-31 / J-35 operates

Operational Record

An unproven newcomer

The FC-31 / J-35 has no known combat record. It has never been reported in action, and its real-world effectiveness is untested in the public record. What can be said is deliberately narrow, and every figure here is reported or estimated rather than confirmed.

No combat useNo confirmed operational engagements to date
2 variantsCarrier-based J-35 · land-based J-35A
1 reportedProspective export customer (Pakistan) — reported, unconfirmed

Compare the combat record of every military aircraft. Figures as of July 2026; all J-35 data is reported or estimated.

Questions & Answers

Everything people ask about the FC-31 / J-35

Can I fly in an FC-31/J-35?
No. The FC-31 / J-35 is a frontline Chinese military stealth fighter and is not available to civilians in any form — there are no public rides or seats of any kind. You can, however, fly in several genuine military jets today — see migflug.com/flights-prices/.
What is the difference between the FC-31, J-31 and J-35?
They largely refer to the same evolving design. “FC-31” was the export-oriented name of the original demonstrator; “J-31” was an unofficial label widely used by observers; and “J-35” refers to the more mature programme, with the land-based variant identified as J-35A. The names track the aircraft’s development from a company demonstrator toward a fielded fighter, though some designation details remain unconfirmed.
Is the J-35 a copy of the F-35?
It is often compared to the F-35 because of a broadly similar stealth silhouette, and some commentators allege design influence. Analysts caution, however, that outward resemblance can reflect convergent stealth engineering rather than direct copying, and reveals little about internal systems. The J-35 is also twin-engine, unlike the single-engine F-35. Claims of copying, or of equivalence, are not firmly established by public evidence.
What engines does it use?
This is genuinely unsettled. Early demonstrators reportedly used Russian RD-93 engines, later said to be replaced by the domestic WS-13, and reporting increasingly points to a newer engine often cited as the WS-19 (and in some accounts WS-21). Which engine actually powers production aircraft is not firmly confirmed, and some leaked assessments have reportedly questioned the newer engines’ performance. Treat specific thrust or speed figures as estimates.
Is it in service yet?
Reports indicate the J-35 / J-35A began entering service with Chinese forces around the mid-2020s, and the type was publicly displayed at the 2024 Zhuhai Airshow. But “in service” can mean early or limited introduction rather than mature, widespread capability. Independent confirmation of numbers, readiness and units is limited, so its true status is best described as early and still developing.
Can it operate from Chinese aircraft carriers?
That appears to be a core purpose of the naval variant. The J-35 is reported to be designed for catapult launches, with folding wings, reinforced gear and a launch bar, and has been linked to testing aboard the electromagnetic-catapult carrier Fujian. PLA Navy footage shows catapult launches. Claims of full carrier operational capability, however, remain difficult to verify independently.
Did Pakistan order it?
Pakistan is widely reported as a prospective first export customer, with figures such as 40 aircraft cited and officials referencing an impending purchase or a Chinese offer. As of mid-2026, there is no independently confirmed evidence that any aircraft have been delivered. Most coverage frames this as an offer or stated intent rather than a completed, fulfilled contract, and reported timelines have shifted.
How stealthy is it, and how good is it really?
Much of this is unknown. The airframe shows stealth-oriented shaping and an internal weapons bay, but real stealth performance depends on materials, coatings and electronics that cannot be judged from photos. Most performance figures trace back to state media or estimates, and independent verification is limited. It is best understood as a capable-looking, still-maturing design whose true effectiveness — positive or negative — remains largely unconfirmed.
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Sources & Further Reading

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