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Business Standard
26-05-2025
- Automotive
- Business Standard
China's Fujian carrier on sea trials, J-35 stealth fighters begin testing
China's most advanced aircraft carrier, the Fujian, has completed its eighth and reportedly most 'intensive' sea trial, according to state media CCTV. Video of the carrier sailing from Shanghai's Jiangnan Shipyard into open waters was shared by the broadcaster on Sunday local time, with maritime traffic restrictions issued in the surrounding area. The Fujian is the Chinese navy's third aircraft carrier and the first to be equipped with electromagnetic catapults, a key feature that allows for the launch of heavier and more advanced aircraft. With a displacement of over 80,000 tonnes, it is the largest conventionally powered warship in the world. The carrier was launched in June 2022 and began sea trials in May 2024. CCTV reported that the carrier's fifth-generation stealth fighters, known as the J-35, have also undergone tests. While it did not confirm whether the jets were launched from the Fujian, prior sea trials have shown indications, such as tyre marks, that limited 'touch-and-go' operations may have taken place. What is the J-35 fighter jet? The J-35, also referred to as the FC-31 in earlier development stages, is China's carrier-based fifth-generation stealth fighter. Designed by Shenyang Aircraft Corporation, it is intended to match the capabilities of the American F-35C. The jet features low-observable stealth characteristics, twin engines, an internal weapons bay, and advanced avionics, making it suitable for carrier operations in high-threat environments. Manufacturing of the J-35 began in the late 2010s following early prototype tests of the FC-31, which first flew in 2012. The navy's version, modified for catapult-assisted takeoff and arrested recovery, has undergone extensive redesigns, including reinforced landing gear, folding wings, and upgraded radar systems. The J-35 is a key component of China's push to develop a modern, blue-water navy capable of projecting power far beyond its shores. Once fully operational with the Fujian, the combination is expected to significantly boost the People's Liberation Army Navy's (PLAN) capacity for long-range missions and offshore defence. Earlier reported indicate that Pakistan Air Force (PAF) has approved the purchase of 40 J-35A fifth-generation stealth fighter jets at the end of last year, expected to be delivered by early 2026. This agreement marks China's first export of such advanced military technology and is a significant milestone in the defense partnership between the two nations. These stealth fighters are expected to replace Pakistan's ageing fleet of American F-16s and French Mirage fighters. China military spending and modernisation drive China has been steadily increasing its military spending over the last few years, maintaining its position as the world's second-largest defence spender after the United States. For 2025, Beijing has announced a 7.2 per cent rise in its defence budget, bringing total military expenditures to approximately $266 billion. For reference, the US' defence budget for the same year is $895 billion and Russia $126 billion. India, meanwhile, has allocated around $75 billion for its 2025 defence budget. China also boasts the world's largest navy. The budget hike comes amid heightened geopolitical tensions in the Taiwan Strait and the South China Sea, and as trade tensions continue with the US.
Yahoo
16-04-2025
- Yahoo
Canopy Seen Clearly On China's Next Gen Tailless Stealth Fighter For First Time
China's next-generation tailless heavy fighter from the Shenyang Aircraft Corporation seemed to have taken a months-long hiatus between its first known flight and its second. Since then, it has been seen in the skies at an increasing rate. New images and video coming out of China show the jet – referred to unofficially by a number of designations, including J-XDS and J-50 – on another recent test sortie, with clearer shots of the enigmatic stealth fighter than ever before. This includes what appears to be our first real view of its cockpit canopy. The aircraft's canopy has been of particular interest since the plane first appeared to the public on December 26th, 2024. Up until now, no images have clearly shown it. The plane's broad nose, paired with the ground-based perspective of the photos, and their low quality, previously made only what may have been a part of a canopy visible in imagery. This led to the question of whether the heavy fighter-sized aircraft was crewed at all. J-XX/Shengad may have flown again today — 東風 (@eastwind6699) April 16, 2025 Our very in-depth analysis on this aircraft, and its larger tri-engined Chengdu Aircraft Corporation counterpart, came to the conclusion that the aircraft was almost certainly crewed. With this latest imagery, we can finally put that question to rest conclusively. One image shows a side-on view of the aircraft, providing a new perspective to analyze. Above all else, it depicts a very streamlined bubble canopy that blends closely with the upper fuselage. Canopies and cockpits can be a major hot spot for radar reflections. Minimizing their return is critical to the survivability of a low-observable crewed aircraft. In this case, for the same reasons that the canopy was so hard for us to see until now — it is difficult to view from lower aspects — also helps with keeping it out of line-of-sight of radar systems positioned below it. These can be on the surface or lower-flying aircraft. The service ceiling of the fighter is unknown, but it should be quite high in order to maximize its performance, as well as its sensor and weapons reach. It remains unknown if the jet has one or two crew. The canopy does look quite long, which could possibly accommodate a tandem crew layout. As it seems, we finally have a quite decent side shot of SAC's J-XDS from its flight today and also for the first time a clearer proof it has indeed a canopy. — @Rupprecht_A (@RupprechtDeino) April 16, 2025 This side view also provides a bit better sense of scale and form of the new jet. Its diamond-shaped forward fuselage with a prominent chine line high up near the cockpit is also readily visible. The blister under the nose that could represent a faceted aperture for an electro-optical targeting and/or infrared search and track (IRST) system, similar to what's found on the J-20 and the U.S. F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, is also visible. Another angle from the lower rear gives us a clearer view of the aircraft's exhausts. As expected, they are 2-D and likely thrust vectoring types, very similar to the U.S. F-22 Raptor's arrangement. This configuration would balance low observability, performance, agility, and especially stability, considering just how unstable a tailless tactical jet like this would be. China has been displaying its thrust vectoring engine concepts since at least 2022, with the one subscale model on the show floor at Zhuhai looking very similar to what we see in the latest imagery. We also see the unique swiveling wingtip control surfaces in action here, with the right side one highly deflected. Airshow China 2022: #China displays thrust vectoring engineshttps:// #airshowchina2022 #airshow #airdefence — Janes (@JanesINTEL) November 14, 2022 With each passing week, we are getting more and more detailed imagery of Shenyang's tailless stealth fighter, just as expected. If the flights continue, we should have a much better understanding of the aircraft's observable features by summer. Contact the author: Tyler@
Yahoo
04-04-2025
- Yahoo
China's ‘J-50' Tailless Stealth Fighter Seen In New Imagery
Shenyang Aircraft Corporation's tailless stealth fighter has appeared in new photos that offer additional insights into its exotic design. The aircraft, unofficially dubbed the 'J-50,' is one of two Chinese tailless heavy next-generation fighter designs that emerged on December 26th, 2024. The other larger three-engined type, colloquially referred to as the 'J-36,' is built by the Chengdu Aircraft Corporation. You can read our very in-depth previous analysis of both these aircraft here. It isn't clear if the new image comes from a recent test flight or is from the December 26th sortie. While we have seen proof of the larger J-36 making additional test flights since its first publicly known one, the J-50 has not been spotted in the air for over three months. The new image shows a clearer side-on view of the advanced jet than any we have seen before. Notable are what could very well be the presence of side weapons bays, broadly similar to those found on the F-22A Raptor and the J-20. We also see an angular bulge under the nose, which could be an opaque placeholder for a faceted electro-optical system, similar to what is found on the F-35 and the J-20. SAC J-50(?) 6th Gen Fighter Jet Testing Flight — David Wang (@Nickatgreat1220) April 4, 2025 The canopy on this aircraft is just visible in the image, but we still don't have a clear understanding of its shape and how it is blended into the fuselage. Some originally questioned if this aircraft was manned because of the lack of clarity regarding its cockpit area, but all indications point to it being a crewed fighter. The aircraft's pronounced lambda wing planform is also readily apparent here, and one of the jet's strangest features — articulating wingtips — can also be seen, with the right wing's tip deflected. Two-dimensional engine exhausts, possibly featuring thrust vectoring, are also visible. A two-wheeled nose landing gear is confirmed, with single wheels for the mains. This is not new, but it underscores the weight class difference between this design and Chengdu's very heavy design, which features twin wheels for its main gear arranged in tandem. The nose gear door also gives us new evidence of the ventral centerline 'tunnel' that exists below the fuselage on this aircraft. The inlets are arguably the most elegant-looking structure on this aircraft. Diverterless Supersonic Inlet (DSI) types that blend directly from the nose, with the trapezoidal inlet structures surrounding the DSI 'hump,' are really apparent here. This arrangement is more impressive than the F-22-like fenced intakes on the J-36, although that aircraft also features a DSI arrangement for its dorsal intake. In some ways, this aircraft looks more advanced than its Chendgu counterpart, although they are really in different classes just in terms of size and weight. It remains unclear if these designs are tied to a single program and its defined objectives, or are for two separate programs focused on different capabilities sets with some overlap. You can read all about this and the features described above in our in-depth initial analysis, which everything we are seeing today supports. China's big next-generation stealth fighter developments come as the U.S. Air Force is now formally pursuing a 6th generation fighter design as part of its wide-ranging Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) program under the new F-47 designation. Boeing won that contract and has so far put forward just two renderings of its aircraft, both of which show a low-observable design with canard foreplanes — a feature that is traditionally antithetical to stealth that is missing on both Chinese designs, but does exist on the operational J-20. The Navy is about to announce its own F/A-XX 6th generation fighter selection, as well. While many have taken to the internet to declare China has overtaken the U.S. in fighter design as they have two tailless stealth fighter aircraft flying and the U.S. has none, this is incorrect. The DoD has been flying at least two NGAD demonstrators, one from Boeing and one from Lockheed Martin, for years now, and those are just the ones so far disclosed. Those demonstrators flew as part of a Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency-led program that also involved the Navy. Other U.S. testing of tailless stealth fighter design concepts date back decades. Still, as we laid out in great detail in our original analysis, China has made incredible progress in their combat aircraft design and manufacturing capabilities in a relatively short amount of time, and that progress is only set to accelerate. In other words, the gap is closing. As is always the case with imagery of new high-tech weaponry coming out of China, we should see increasingly detailed offerings of both aircraft as the weeks go on. So, we should be able to glean more from their designs in the near future. Contact the author: Tyler@
Yahoo
27-01-2025
- Yahoo
China's Mysterious Tailless Stealth Fighter Has Swiveling Wingtips
A new photo of the still-mysterious Chinese tailless combat aircraft, likely from the Shenyang Aircraft Corporation, which first surfaced last month, provides a better view of the rear aspect of the jet. The image would appear to confirm that the aircraft's outer wingtip sections act as moving control surfaces, as we had previously suggested was a high possibility. You can read our full extremely in-depth analysis on both of China's new stealthy tailless tactical jets here. The photo in question was first published on the Chinese microblogging website Weibo. The aircraft is seen on approach to land, passing over a busy highway in daylight. Since it first appeared, some observers have suggested the jet may be designated J-50 (in the Chinese Jianjiji or fighter series), while others have referred to it as the J-XDS. At this stage, we simply don't know for sure. While it's worth noting that the authenticity of the photo cannot be confirmed, there's nothing to suggest that it's been manipulated and it's otherwise in line with the imagery of the aircraft that we have seen before. Via ACuriousPLAFan/SDF:'A rear view photo of J-XDS, posted by Cute Orca on Weibo with the caption "If this is not a PS-ed photo, this shows that the J-XDS has full-moving wingtips and no angled vertical stabilizers."' — @Rupprecht_A (@RupprechtDeino) January 27, 2025 Seen here from the rear aspect, there is no sign of the 'pop-out' maneuvering tail surfaces that some had suggested might be present and which had also appeared in 'fan art' of the same aircraft. The suggestion was that such surfaces might sit flush with the inner wing area, before being activated for low-speed flight, increasing control authority and maneuverability. As we explained in our analysis feature, this didn't seem to be the case and this photo helps disprove this claim further — especially since the aircraft is seen in a low-speed phase of flight when such control surfaces would be deployed. A fan art render shows an imagined configuration with 'pop-out' maneuvering tails, something that we can now more or less rule out: Just wow! SAC J-50 rendering with foldable tails — Húrin (@Hurin92) January 1, 2025 As we pointed out in the past, having these auxiliary tail surfaces would add more weight and complexity to the design, and also decrease fuel storage, which would likely not be worth any advantages they would bring in terms of stability and agility. The apparent confirmation that the aircraft has swiveling outer wingtip sections, which serve as major control surfaces, is significant. In this photo, the tip of the right wing can be clearly seen in a front-up, rear-down position. Having extremely widely spaced surfaces that span from the leading edge to the trailing edge like this should provide a lot of roll authority and, when deployed together, should also be used to control pitch. In this way, the outer wing sections — combined with an advanced digital flight control system — would help mitigate the stability issues that come with a tailless design. The disadvantage of this arrangement is a likely reduction in low observability, although the designers will have presumably decided that the compromise is worthwhile, especially if it is a requirement of the tailless configuration. This could be reduced in cruise to some degree by limiting the articulation of these surfaces, or even locking them out entirely unless a severe input is commanded. Still, just having a jointed area in this location is less than desirable in a similar manner to how canards are not conducive to extreme radar signature reduction goals. Aside from this, the new photo probably also provides us with our best look at what could be a cockpit canopy, which was not very discernible in previous images. While it's again hard to determine any details, a prominent bulge does at least seem to be present where a cockpit should be. There has been some speculation that this aircraft could be uncrewed. This doesn't seem to be the case by anything we are seeing, but it's always possible as the bulge could also accommodate a satellite communications package. Once again, this is very unlikely at this time. The low resolution of the photo means it's hard to determine much about the configuration of the fighter's engine exhausts, although the suggestion, once again, is that the twin powerplants are provided with 2D thrust-vectoring nozzles very similar to those found on the U.S. F-22 Raptor. This would also help with stability and maneuverability. The thickness of the fuselage — another aspect we discussed in our deep-dive analysis piece — is also showcased in this new image. As well as contributing to low observability, engine nozzles of this kind would enhance the aircraft's maneuverability and stability, key concerns considering that it's a relatively heavy, tailless design. Overall, there remain many unknowns about this, the second Chinese tailless combat aircraft to break cover last December 26. However, more photos are sure to emerge and these should gradually provide us with a much better idea about its design, as well as provide a hint toward its potential capabilities and anticipated role. Contact the author: thomas@
