At the Zhuhai Airshow, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) unveiled its new J-35A fighter jet, drawing attention from the public. The J-35A bears a resemblance to the American fifth-generation stealth fighter F-35, sparking speculation about whether the J-35A is a replica of the F-35. However, analysts point out that there are three key technological aspects of the F-35 that the CCP cannot replicate.
The land-based J-35A made its debut on Tuesday (November 12th). According to Reuters, military analysts remarked that although the J-35 took to the skies more than a decade after its predecessor, the J-31, details about its performance and stealth capabilities remain scarce. Collin Koh from the Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore noted that due to the CCP’s penchant for keeping military technological developments under wraps, uncertainties persist regarding the J-35’s capabilities.
An article in “War Zone” mentioned that while it is undeniable that the CCP has obtained sensitive data from various Western military projects, especially the F-35 program, they can imitate the overall design and reproduce components of the F-35, along with some technologies that are replicable. However, this does not equate to a straightforward replication of the F-35. In fact, the F-35 is one of the most complex machines in the world.
Reports indicate that the F-35 was originally designed to accommodate a short takeoff and vertical landing (STOVL) version, a specification absent in the J-35A design. While the J-35A seems to draw inspiration and even copy certain elements from the F-35, such as its DSI inlet, canopy, and basic configuration, the J-35A is sleeker due to the absence of STOVL requirements. This has led to questions about its internal fuel capacity, range, and available storage space.
According to the Eurasia Times, the cockpit layout and canopy of the J-35A are designed to improve the pilot’s visibility, mimicking the design of the F-35A.
However, there are three technological aspects that CCP aircraft cannot replicate.
“War Zone” argued that while any country can produce a model of the F-35A (or something that looks similar on the surface), it does not mean it is the F-35A. The article highlighted the engines – the J-35A has two engines, whereas the F-35A has only one.
Engines are crucial for advanced fighter jets, as efficiency translates to longer range, greater payload capacity for equipment and weapons, and faster speeds. The Pratt & Whitney F135 engine on the F-35 is one of the most powerful fighter jet engines globally, capable of reaching speeds up to Mach 1.6.
Peter Layton, defense and aviation expert from Griffith Asia Institute, stated to Reuters, “Apart from the physical shape of the aircraft at air shows, everything else (about the J-35A) is uncertain. The engines used still remain a question mark.”
The key to the F-35’s success lies in well-known details. For instance, the F-35’s low observability (stealth) largely comes from its coating.
The Eurasia Times reported that it remains unclear whether the J-35 variant possesses special radar-absorbing coatings like the F-35A or features challenging to detect communication and radar systems.
Eric Wicklund, former U.S. Navy warfare specialist, mentioned previously that while replicating the F-35’s stealth design is possible, replicating the Radar Absorbent Material (RAM) of the F-35 remains challenging. He likened the situation for the CCP to reverse engineering Damascus steel without understanding the underlying processes.
Wicklund asserted that CCP’s shortcomings in material science hinder their ability to develop effective RAM, which can absorb or scatter up to 80% of incoming radar waves.
He stated, “Manufacturing a stealth shape is only one aspect of stealth. Even internal structures and how they are configured are crucial.”
Wicklund emphasized that stealing the stealth shape from a computer is easy, but developing cutting-edge RAM poses a more difficult challenge. “I could hand a piece of RAM to the Chinese, and they could analyze it and recognize what it is, but the issue lies in reverse engineering it. They know what it is but don’t know how to manufacture it,” he explained.
According to the “Simple Flying” website, the lethality of the F-35 fighter jet largely stems from its computing systems, communications, sensors, radar, and other avionic equipment embedded within the aircraft.
The F-35 is a long-range, supersonic fighter jet equipped with internal weapons and fuel. Its notable feature is the integration of advanced avionic equipment and sensors, providing unparalleled situational awareness for pilots.
The F-35A’s electronic sensors include the Electro-Optical Distributed Aperture System (DAS), offering missile warning, aircraft warning, and enhanced pilot visibility day and night.
This aircraft also features the Electro-Optical Targeting System (EOTS) internally installed, enabling the fighter to increase distance detection and precision striking capabilities against ground targets as well as long-range detection of aerial threats.
The F-35A’s helmet-mounted display system is the most advanced of its kind, providing pilots with all necessary mission data and target information directly on their helmet visors.
These are aspects that the J-35A finds challenging to replicate.