J-35A fighter (PLAAF) + FC-31 thread

[Almond98]

Interesting, in that case, either Egypt or Algeria.

Maybe Egypt. But I don't see the reason why Algeria is going to buy J-35AE When they already made a deal to buy SU-57. But the thing that surprise me the most is why Algeria need 5th gen fighter jet. What threat they are facing that they thought buying 5th gen fighter jet is a must?

 

[siegecrossbow]

Maybe Egypt. But I don't see the reason why Algeria is going to buy J-35AE When they already made a deal to buy SU-57. But the thing that surprise me the most is why Algeria need 5th gen fighter jet. What threat they are facing that they thought buying 5th gen fighter jet is a must?

Morocco is going for F-16V.

 

[Andy1974]

Maybe Egypt. But I don't see the reason why Algeria is going to buy J-35AE When they already made a deal to buy SU-57. But the thing that surprise me the most is why Algeria need 5th gen fighter jet. What threat they are facing that they thought buying 5th gen fighter jet is a must?

They are facing the same threat as everyone else in the region, the USA and Israel.

In this case the USA is favoring Moroccos claim over the Western Sahara.

 

[sequ]

Maybe Egypt. But I don't see the reason why Algeria is going to buy J-35AE When they already made a deal to buy SU-57. But the thing that surprise me the most is why Algeria need 5th gen fighter jet. What threat they are facing that they thought buying 5th gen fighter jet is a must?

Paranoia and resentment against their western neighbor.

 

[johncliu88]

Maybe Pakistan, as the US is promoting the F35 to India. Pakistan needs the J35 for deterring the Indian hegemony.

I wouldn't think US would sell Indian some F35 anymore after the Rafales down incident. If Indian will attack Pak again, and if F35 will be shot down, then US will really be humiliated just like France.

 

[Observer1]

If J-35AE is actually a thing then Pakistan is surely going to be a customer. Pakistan has close relations to the US. Can you truly trust no US engineers are going to be given time to thoroughly inspect it. Even without sensitive equipment onboard the export version, it's still going to offer deep insight into the PLAAF and PLAN platforms.

SAC and AVIC please, please make sure you downgrade the export version and make it as different as possible to the PLAAF and PLAN home team fighters. There is considerable risk exporting this. Given US global influence via three letter agencies and spies masking as NGOs, they will get a close look one way or another. Exporting 15 year old J-10CE is one thing when you have 6th gen prototypes flying but we are only just about to equip the J-35.

On one hand, SAC/China needs to make sure their military tech secrets are well guarded from US espionage attempts and I am sure they have taken this consideration into mind, but on the other hand exporting such significantly downgraded fighters to Pakistan could also backfire because it's probably one of the only foreign customers which will actually use it in active combat in a few years time. It can't be so downgraded where it doesn't perform well against Indian counterparts.

Would Chinese industry have gained such significant traction if AVIC significantly downgraded J10 avionics and PL-15 to the point where it couldn't target Rafale at extended distances?

Also in my opinion I think espionage attempts are higher in Middle Eastern nations than Pakistan, they operate more US military equipment with closer relations to US, than does Pakistan.

 

[dingyibvs]

1, J-20 production apparently hit the roof, and it interferes with Chengdu other operations and designs. Factory is overloaded.
2, Shenyang needs VLO production experience. Flankers aren't birds built to a millimeter precision.
3, Shenyang main aircraft product (J-16) is 10 yrs old, they need new modern products.
J-16 orders are likely close to completion, it isn't a new, fresh plane anymore.
4, J-20(a) has different mission profile when compared to J-35A. It is smaller, it almost certainly has a multirole EOTS(unlike J-20). It's very likely somewhat lower observable.
5, J-20(a) comes at a different price point, as well as higher purchase and sustainance costs.

All them words and there's a very simple and obvious solution, just have SAC produce additional J-20s...assuming numbers is what the PLAAF is after. As for the price, I doubt building say 1500 J-20s would be much more expensive than 1000 J-20s and 500 J35As, considering the scaling advantages of building more of one type.

 

[Schwerter_]

All them words and there's a very simple and obvious solution, just have SAC produce additional J-20s...assuming numbers is what the PLAAF is after. As for the price, I doubt building say 1500 J-20s would be much more expensive than 1000 J-20s and 500 J35As, considering the scaling advantages of building more of one type.

If that’s a realistic option it’d have been done years ago. I suspect there’s logistics, politics or a combination of both in PLAAF purchasing additional J35A. Also building costs maybe won’t have that big of a difference, but operational cost probably will.

Also the Guancha trio mentioned in a podcast a few months ago that “if PLAAF doesn’t end up purchasing and fielding that many J35A’s don’t be surprised” and iirc they tossed the range of around 2-300 around, though don’t quote me on this. According to the same podcast, The J35A is supposed to fulfill 2 roles:

1. Working in conjunction with J20 (or possibly J20S in this context) under its command, serving as its subservient. Combine this to the recent paper on Penetrating Counter Air and I won’t be surprised if this is their way of getting the “all-stealth attack cluster” with probably less cost and better LO capabilities than if they went with the all J-20 route.
2. Serving as a high value asset in less strategically important areas and directions, where it would become the central node in the absence of J20, and command (I presume) non-stealth platforms such as J10C and J16.

At the end of the day I won’t be surprised if the Air Force took up the J35A simply due to it costing less than J20. If they found dedicated use cases in which the J35A shines while they’re at it, all the better.

 

[Blitzo]

All them words and there's a very simple and obvious solution, just have SAC produce additional J-20s...assuming numbers is what the PLAAF is after. As for the price, I doubt building say 1500 J-20s would be much more expensive than 1000 J-20s and 500 J35As, considering the scaling advantages of building more of one type.

In addition to what Schwerter wrote, there may be benefits to procuring J-35A rather than having SAC build J-20s, such as:
- industry benefits of adapting a land based variant of J-35 and achieving some benefits of economy of scale in that way for the overall J-35/A family
- J-35A does also offer the opportunity for an export version (more so than J-20/A or J-35) which in future years and decades may be something the PRC is interested in exploring and have some credible geopolitical benefits of
- J-35A may be somewhat cheaper to operate than J-20/A for the PLA

 

[dingyibvs]

In addition to what Schwerter wrote, there may be benefits to procuring J-35A rather than having SAC build J-20s, such as:
- industry benefits of adapting a land based variant of J-35 and achieving some benefits of economy of scale in that way for the overall J-35/A family
- J-35A does also offer the opportunity for an export version (more so than J-20/A or J-35) which in future years and decades may be something the PRC is interested in exploring and have some credible geopolitical benefits of
- J-35A may be somewhat cheaper to operate than J-20/A for the PLA

I agree with this. The point I'm making is that the exports may be central to all these points as it would benefit economy of scale, offer more export opportunities, and make it cheaper to operate. As such, it wouldn't be out of question for exports to be prioritized than other platforms the PLA is only just inducting itself.