After J-20, J-35A is the fifth generation fighter aircraft…, China inducts second stealth jet in the Air Force…, is it threat to Rafale?
China's People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) may have inducted its second fifth-generation stealth fighter aircraft J-35A into service. In the recently released pictures, J-35A has been seen flying with J-20 stealth fighter and J-16D electronic warfare aircraft. Although there is no official confirmation yet, but if this is so, then it will be a huge increase in the strength of China's Air Force. Especially J-35A can give China a strong strategic edge amid the current tensions in the Indo-Pacific region.
If the report of deployment of J-35A fighter aircraft in the Chinese Air Force proves to be true, then China will become the second country in the world after US, whose Air Force will have two different fifth generation stealth fighters. US already has two stealth fighter jets like F-22 Raptor and F-35 Lightning II. Like J-20, J-35A is also a stealth fighter aircraft, but both have been designed with different purposes. The J-20 is a heavyweight, air-superiority fighter, while the J-35A is seen as a mid-size multirole fighter with the capability to carry out surgical surface strikes.
How many fifth-generation fighter jets does China have?
The J-35A has many design elements that match the US F-35 fighter jet, such as the Electro-Optical Targeting System (EOTS), forward-hinged canopy and the absence of a pitot tube near the nose. However, it has two engines while the F-35 runs on a single engine. This is why the J-35A can be called a copy of the F-35, but its performance cannot be directly compared. The range and energy of the aircraft depends on its engine, radar, avionics, weapons capability and stealth technology.
The capability of the J-35A fighter jet has always been questionable. But the deployment of the J-35A fighter jet is very important not only for the Chinese Air Force but also for its Navy. The naval variant of this fighter jet, the J-35, will soon be deployed on China's modern aircraft carrier 'Fujian.' It has a folding wing design, making it operable from older aircraft carriers such as the Liaoning and Shandong.
What is India's stance?
The Indian Air Force currently has 4.5th generation jets like Rafale, Su-30MKI, Mirage-2000 and Tejas, which are equipped with state-of-the-art weapons and avionics, but these are not stealth. India has started rapid work on the indigenous 5th generation fighter program 'AMCA' (Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft), but its first prototype is expected to arrive only by 2028. The Indian Air Force is relying on Israeli avionics, American weapon systems and indigenous radar technology to enhance its capabilities.
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