Shenyang FC-31 demonstrators / J-35 naval fighter / J-35A land-based version

Interestingly, it poses a question: will brigades get even bigger in size? With a full roster of j-20, brigades now seem to have between 24 and 36 shelters. If 12 j-35 are added to j-20 brigades eventually, some may reach over 40 planes?

Though perhaps more plausible is that these mixed type brigades will not be standard, and are here temporarily to ease new plane type induction?
 
As it seems, also the PLAN Naval Aviation has finally revealed its first two operational (?) J-35 fighters.
And if I read their construction numbers correctly - namely 0011 & 0012 - they are LRIP aircraft!

(Image via @沙丘里的回声 from Weibo)

J-35 PLAN NA operational - 沙丘里的回声 - 1.jpg J-35 PLAN NA operational - 沙丘里的回声 - 1 tail.jpg J-35 PLAN NA operational - 沙丘里的回声 - 2.jpg J-35 PLAN NA operational - 沙丘里的回声 - 3 + J-15T.jpg
 
It can be seen that this shark has a very good appetite.
It reminds me of a certain gluttonous shark.
LOL
PS:It seems that Chinese carrier-based aircraft will be named after shark species.
 

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Pakistan reportedly backs out of J-35 fitghter jet deal

turdef.com

Pakistan Reportedly Backs out Of J-35 Fighter Jet Deal | TURDEF

Pakistan’s refusal to procure China’s J-35 raises new questions over the aircraft’s performance and the state of Beijing-Islamabad military ties.
turdef.com turdef.com

(...)
Eurasian Times reports that Pakistan, once expected to become the first international customer of China’s fifth-generation J-35 (formerly J-31) stealth fighter with a planned order of 40 aircraft, has dismissed the procurement claims. “This fighter jet will not be purchased from China. It was just media speculation. It would be good publicity for Chinese defence industry, but it’s not true,” said Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif in a televised interview.
(...)
Pakistan is now reportedly interested in acquiring F-16 Block 70 fighters, HIMARS systems, and advanced air defence platforms from the United States. Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu’s recent visits to the Pentagon and State Department reinforce this shift.
(...)
Click to expand...
Edit after the responses received to this post:

-the source for the first paragraph is given further down in the topic.

-the second paragraph is not confirmed by any source. Furthermore, no “recent” visit by the Pakistani Air Chief Marshal to the USA is known.
 
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Not good news for the J-35, I would have thought that Pakistan would have been at least the one of the first users of the J-35, strange that they have now backed out of the purchase.
 
Therefore, whether political, military or economic, the J35 is not Pakistan's first choice. But the customers of the J35, more precisely the J35AE, exist. If the grapevine is true, the J35AE used for foreign trade made its first flight last year, and in the recent period Shenyang has focused more on providing J35 for PLAF and PLAN, and we may have to wait more than a year to know who the J35AE's customers are.
 
Grey Havoc said:
Strange indeed.
Click to expand...

What's strange about that?
The F-16Vs need to be sold. In a few years, when the F-35 becomes a bit obsolete, Pakistan will get its fifth-generation fighters.
No mystery there (at least Imran Khan knows what it's about).
 
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Geo said:
What's strange about that?
The F-16Vs need to be sold. In a few years, when the F-35 becomes a bit obsolete, Pakistan will get its fifth-generation fighters.
No mystery there (at least Imran Khan knows what it's about).
Click to expand...

It is very strange given the US cozying up to India and Pakistan being very much in the Chinese sphere of influence and having achieved one of their most high profile shoot downs with a Chinese missile and jet.
 
EmoBirb said:
It is very strange given the US cozying up to India and Pakistan being very much in the Chinese sphere of influence and having achieved one of their most high profile shoot downs with a Chinese missile and jet.
Click to expand...

Pakistan-US relations is long and complex, but the military aspects goes back since the Cold War.
Pakistan already has a fleet of F-16s that are capable, and on a strategic front, Pakistan has always leveraged its relations with the East (China) and west (US, and to a lesser extent Europe), and the Islamic world. So theyre likely going to procure weapon systems from multiple sources.
In addition, Pakistan coordinates closely with middle-eastern countries such as Saudi Arabia, UAE, etc, which also use American jets.
None of its neighbors currently have a 5th gen plane either.

that being said, I personally think the J-35 will end up in Pakistani service at some point, but perhaps not now.
 
Tomboy said:
This source does not seem to be reliable IMO, especially if it didn't give the source where exactly was Defence Minister Khawaja Asif quoted from.
Click to expand...
Deino said:
Forget this site, it’s pure nonsense.
Click to expand...

https://twitter.com/x/status/1938174814667014569
View: https://x.com/OsintTV/status/1938174814667014569

Edit :

On the other hand, in fact, there has obviously been no "recent" visit by Air Chief Marshal Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu to the United States and the possible purchase of F-16 Block 70, HIMARS and advanced air defense systems seems more a matter of speculation than a tangible reality.
 
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Deino said:
Forget this site, it’s pure nonsense.
Click to expand...
It's a great and credible source for reading about the Turkish defense industry, but I find it too biased toward the West especially when it reports on China, often without citing credible sources and relying on own biases.

I know this from the live streams the author behind this piece attends; his views on the matter are quite evident, to say the least. I wouldn’t say he’s anti-China, but rather his perspective seems stuck in the early 2000s.
 
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Deltafan said:
https://twitter.com/x/status/1938174814667014569
View: https://x.com/OsintTV/status/1938174814667014569
Click to expand...

I think the Turdef website is overreaching with its article a little bit -- the minister is essentially answering "no" to the question about whether Pakistan would receive J-35As in 2026 (which makes complete sense, I don't think anyone expected that to be the case).

However, in that video there is nothing about Pakistan and Chinese ties, nor is there any statement about whether Pakistan will be buying or receiving J-35As at other points in the future (i.e.: after 2026).

So the title "Pakistan backs out of J-35A deal" seems a bit incorrect to me, unless there is additional official commentary on the matter.


Instead, the title should be something like "Pakistan will not receive J-35A in 2026 (but no one should have expected that to happen in the first place, and if you did then you should re-evaluate your defense literacy)"
 
Blitzo said:
I think the Turdef website is overreaching with its article a little bit -- the minister is essentially answering "no" to the question about whether Pakistan would receive J-35As in 2026 (which makes complete sense, I don't think anyone expected that to be the case).

However, in that video there is nothing about Pakistan and Chinese ties, nor is there any statement about whether Pakistan will be buying or receiving J-35As at other points in the future (i.e.: after 2026).

So the title "Pakistan backs out of J-35A deal" seems a bit incorrect to me, unless there is additional official commentary on the matter.


Instead, the title should be something like "Pakistan will not receive J-35A in 2026 (but no one should have expected that to happen in the first place, and if you did then you should re-evaluate your defense literacy)"
Click to expand...
It's your opinion.

Personally, I don't know why the Pakistani Defense Minister responded like that. He could have simply said not in 2026 but later. He didn't do it.

This is contradictory to the official announcement made by Pakistan on June 6 on its official X/Twitter account. But this tweet has since disappeared.

Otherwise, I couldn't find an OFFICIAL Chinese confirmation of the transaction after June 6 anywhere.

So, it is the future that will tell what is really going on, in the short, medium and long term...
 
So they do not know IF Pakistan are going to even buy the J-35As now, this whole thing just gets stranger and stranger. :rolleyes:
 
Practically speaking, J-35 domestic engine is far from mature. Why in the hurry to acquire a new 5th gen aircraft still yet to establish service and maintenance record when May 7th air battle already shown Chinese 4.5 gen is suffice against India? Not to mention J-10CE just start the loan payment.
Politically speaking, why does China wants to further escalate the tension between PAF and India by selling a 5th gen platform? The LO nature of 5th gen for country like PAK is to attack not air defense. That's not align with China's foreign policy.

All the fuzz about PAK buying J-35 just for show. J-10CE is PAF's response to India acquiring Rafale. I bet PAF is not getting J-35 unless India get their hands on 5th gen first. But I think it's wise to send PAF pilot to train on J-35 on a regular basis with PLAAF.
 
Tomboy said:
J-35 has been flying with domestic engines ever since the type existed
Click to expand...
You mean WS13 the RD-93 copy or WS21 the WS13 upgrade? Both do not enter mass production nor have service record.
That's why I said it's far from mature.
WS19 is the suppose target engine for J-35 but it looks like still a long way to go.
 
minimes said:
You mean WS13 the RD-93 copy or WS21 the WS13 upgrade? Both do not enter mass production nor have service record.
That's why I said it's far from mature.
WS19 is the suppose target engine for J-35 but it looks like still a long way to go.
Click to expand...
J-35 is literally in serial production right now with those engines and WS-19 made it's first flight on J-35 around the same time as WS-15 with J-20A. I'm not sure where are you getting your news from because they are completely inaccurate.

We don't know what configuration J-35E/FC-31 will have or will China even export WS-19 anyways. J-35E as of right now should be perfectly exportable with WS-21 as long as SAC have the extra capacity right now.
 
Deltafan said:
It's your opinion.

Personally, I don't know why the Pakistani Defense Minister responded like that. He could have simply said not in 2026 but later. He didn't do it.

This is contradictory to the official announcement made by Pakistan on June 6 on its official X/Twitter account. But this tweet has since disappeared.

Otherwise, I couldn't find an OFFICIAL Chinese confirmation of the transaction after June 6 anywhere.

So, it is the future that will tell what is really going on, in the short, medium and long term...
Click to expand...

No that's not my opinion, I am literally listening to the contents of the video and seeing how much of it is actually reflected in the article.

As for the "official announcement" from Pakistan, I've never said that I believed that announcement was worth anything either, and it is not in China's nature to confirm things until they are firm on paper.


All of which is to say, the only thing we can confirm is that Pakistan won't be receiving J-35As in 2026, which should have been obvious to anyone to begin with.

But we cannot yet determine whether there are any negotiations between Pakistan and China on J-35As in the background, or even if there is a deal signed already for delivery of aircraft in the more distant future. In other words, it is still an open game.
 
Blitzo said:
No that's not my opinion, I am literally listening to the contents of the video and seeing how much of it is actually reflected in the article.
Click to expand...
I will still persist in having an opinion different from yours regarding this interview.

Blitzo said:
In other words, it is still an open game.
Click to expand...
Which does not prevent us from having the same conclusion, since I wrote:
So, it is the future that will tell what is really going on, in the short, medium and long term...
Click to expand...
 
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Deltafan said:
I will still persist in having an opinion different from yours regarding this interview.


Which does not prevent us from having the same conclusion, since I wrote:
Click to expand...

I'm not sure how you can have a different opinion to the interview if the minister gave an answer to only a specific question asked by the journalist.
The journalist can be faulted for not asking a follow-up question, but chances are they knew they weren't going to get an answer for it.
 
Tomboy said:
J-35 is literally in serial production right now with those engines and WS-19 made it's first flight on J-35 around the same time as WS-15 with J-20A. I'm not sure where are you getting your news from because they are completely inaccurate.

We don't know what configuration J-35E/FC-31 will have or will China even export WS-19 anyways. J-35E as of right now should be perfectly exportable with WS-21 as long as SAC have the extra capacity right now.
Click to expand...
My definition of mature is mass production 100+ into service air brigade combat training/patrol for at least 5 years.
 

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