China has officially inducted its first serial production J-35 fifth-generation stealth fighters into active service with the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN). The development represents a watershed moment in the modernization of Chinese military aviation, particularly its naval branch, and poses significant implications for regional balance of power.
The milestone was confirmed by a dramatic air-to-air photograph that surfaced on China’s Weibo platform, showing two J-35 stealth jets in tight formation. Bearing clear PLAN insignia and serial numbers 0011 and 0012, the aircraft display unique shark-motif tail art—similar to that used by carrier-based J-15 fighters—indicating not just their operational role but their unit affiliation within the PLAN’s elite aviation brigades.
While speculation persists about whether these units are low-rate initial production (LRIP) or early prototype airframes disguised as such, the presence of PLAN-specific markings and paint schemes provides strong evidence that these jets are not merely experimental but are entering real frontline roles.
This official induction marks the first time China’s navy will field fifth-generation aircraft designed for stealth, survivability, and advanced situational awareness. Previously reliant on upgraded fourth-generation J-15 and J-15B variants, PLAN aviation was at a disadvantage against peer naval forces operating stealth platforms like the U.S. F-35B and F-35C.
With the J-35, China joins the United States as the only country capable of deploying stealth aircraft from aircraft carriers—an exclusive capability that significantly enhances strike range, reconnaissance, and air superiority in contested maritime environments.
Equipped with internal weapons bays, radar-absorbing coating, low-observable shaping, and advanced electronic warfare systems, the J-35 is optimized for survival and performance in high-threat environments. These features not only allow it to evade enemy radar systems but also to engage in networked warfare as part of China’s growing system-of-systems approach to combat.
Developed by Shenyang Aircraft Corporation, the J-35 is a twin-engine, mid-weight stealth platform intended specifically for operations aboard future Chinese aircraft carriers. Its most prominent operational theater will likely be the Type 003 Fujian, China’s newest and most advanced flat-deck carrier outfitted with CATOBAR (Catapult Assisted Take-Off But Arrested Recovery) technology.
Unlike its predecessors—the ski-jump Type 001 Liaoning and Type 002 Shandong—the Fujian is capable of launching heavier, stealthier aircraft like the J-35. CATOBAR launch systems provide improved range and payload flexibility, allowing the J-35 to fulfill roles ranging from deep-penetration strike to fleet air defense and electronic warfare.
The J-35’s induction into the PLAN comes shortly after its twin entry into the People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF), where it complements the heavyweight Chengdu J-20 stealth fighter. This dual adoption underscores China’s rapid military-industrial scaling and its aim to create a high-low mix of stealth platforms akin to U.S. force structures that once paired the F-14 Tomcat with the F/A-18 Hornet.
In PLAN service, the J-35 will operate alongside upgraded J-15B jets, the latter serving as missile trucks, tanker aircraft, or electronic warfare platforms. This layered composition not only increases operational flexibility but also helps preserve high-end assets for missions requiring stealth and sensor superiority.
Moreover, with integrated data links, BeiDou satellite navigation, and real-time battlefield management tools, the J-35 is designed to operate in a network-centric environment. It will likely be integrated with China’s growing fleet of unmanned combat aerial vehicles (UCAVs), early warning aircraft, and anti-ship platforms to build a resilient kill chain in maritime operations.
The implications of the J-35’s deployment are profound for the Indo-Pacific region. Its stealth capabilities provide the PLAN with a credible ability to operate undetected in high-risk zones such as the Taiwan Strait, East China Sea, and South China Sea. These are critical flashpoints in the increasingly adversarial relationship between China and U.S. allies like Japan, Australia, and the Philippines.
With fifth-generation fighters now launching from PLAN carriers, China has effectively nullified a key Western advantage at sea. The U.S. Navy remains the only other operator of sea-based stealth aircraft, but its efforts are hampered by high F-35 costs, maintenance challenges, and delayed production cycles.
Regional players are now under pressure to respond:
- India continues to rely on MiG-29Ks for carrier operations, and its future TEDBF stealth carrier fighter remains in early development stages.
- Japan and South Korea are acquiring F-35Bs for short takeoff and vertical landing (STOVL) operations but are still years away from fielding indigenous stealth designs.
- Australia lacks a carrier capability altogether, and instead focuses on long-range stealth operations from land using F-35As.
In effect, the J-35’s induction shortens the technological and doctrinal gap that once gave the U.S. and its allies a clear advantage in aerial maritime dominance.
What sets China apart in the fifth-generation space is not just the J-35’s capabilities, but the speed and efficiency with which it was developed. Drawing heavily on shared technologies from the J-20—such as radar-absorbent materials, mission computers, and engines—the J-35 bypassed many costly development hurdles.
This streamlined approach enabled China to bring the J-35 from prototype to production in less than a decade—dramatically outpacing Russia’s Su-57 and even Europe’s Tempest and FCAS projects, which remain years away from operational viability.
Estimates suggest China is producing more than 120 fifth-generation aircraft annually across its two stealth lines. The J-35’s flyaway cost is believed to be in the range of USD $80–90 million, substantially lower than the F-35’s $100–115 million price tag, making it an economically viable option for sustained carrier deployment.
With this pace, China will soon overtake the U.S. in sheer numbers of fifth-generation fighters in operational service, a trend with serious implications for global airpower balance.
While the J-35 is a game-changer in its own right, Chinese aerospace ambitions don’t stop here. According to open-source intelligence and defense officials, China’s sixth-generation fighter program is already in the advanced development phase, with demonstrators expected by the end of this decade.
The next-gen platform is rumored to include features such as adaptive engines, AI-assisted decision-making, drone swarming capabilities, and even laser weapon integration. If realized on schedule, the PLA could field a sixth-generation fighter by the early 2030s—potentially beating the U.S., UK, and European timelines.
This would mark a second technological leapfrog, positioning China not just as a peer competitor, but as a potential leader in military aviation innovation.
In the grander scheme, the J-35’s arrival is more than a technical milestone—it’s a political and strategic signal. It confirms China’s intent to become a true blue-water naval power capable of projecting force across oceans, far from the mainland’s defensive bastions.
It also aligns with Beijing’s assertive foreign policy, especially in the South China Sea, where it seeks to enforce sovereignty claims through a mix of island militarization, diplomatic pressure, and now, high-end airpower.
For Washington and its allies, this development will likely accelerate joint planning, integrated deterrence frameworks, and greater investments in stealth, cyberwarfare, and unmanned technologies. The J-35’s presence on PLAN decks is a reminder that the margin for air-sea superiority is narrowing—and that the future battlespace in the Pacific may look very different from the last.
