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

FriedRiceNSpice

FriedRiceNSpice

Major
ACuriousPLAFan said:
I recalled the Guancha Gang mentioned the following some while ago:
- The PLAN has a much urgent demand for the J-35s (since the J-35 is the only 5th-gen available to the PLAN, and the J-35s will be the first ones to confront the enemy F-22s and F-35A/B/Cs on the high seas).
- However, the PLAN doesn't actually need as many J-35s as the PLAAF needs the J-35As (since there are only so many carriers that the PLAN is currently operating + expected to operate in the foreseeable years to come).
- This means that once the backlog orders for the J-35 have been fulfilled, the absolute majority of Shenyang AC's production capacity would then be dedicated to the production of the J-35As for the PLAAF. Once this occurs (in conjunction with Shenyang AC's new production facilities coming online through the rest of the 2020s), we can expect a significant jump in the size of the PLAAF's 5th-gen fighter fleet going forward.
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Isn't the current PLAN needs to just equip a single carrier, plus additional airframes for spares and training? Or will the two STOBAR carriers also be able to operate the J-35?
 
A

ACuriousPLAFan

Lieutenant General
Registered Member
siegecrossbow said:
Pretty sure that they need an upgrade version of J-35 some time down the road for PLAN. Wouldn’t count production out just yet.
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latenlazy said:
PLAN also isn’t procuring only enough to fill carriers. There will be a proportion of their fleet based on land to be kept as reserve capacity.
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Do note that neither the Guancha Gang nor I meant that the J-35's production will be terminated outright once all the J-35 slots on the three current PLAN carriers (+ prospective slots on the 004 CVN) have been filled.

If anything, I see the more likely/probable scenario for the J-35 family's production capacity distribution to be as follows:
- Current stage = ~70-90% J-35 + 10-30% J-35A
- Once the J-35 slots on PLAN carriers have been filled + land-based training units + building up reserves = ~10-30% J-35 + ~70-90% J-35A

That is, the J-35's production won't come to a halt outright, but will be reduced to smaller production volumes relative to the J-35A's production, which could be expected by the late-2020s at the earliest (if not in the 2030s).
 
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A

Aval

Junior Member
Registered Member
ACuriousPLAFan said:
Do note that neither the Guancha Gang nor I meant that the J-35's production will be terminated outright once all the J-35 slots on the three current PLAN carriers (+ prospective slots on the 004 CVN) have been filled.

If anything, I see the more likely/probable scenario for the J-35 family's production capacity distribution to be as follows:
- Current stage = ~70-90% J-35 + 10-30% J-35A
- Once the J-35 slots on PLAN carriers have been filled + land-based training units + building up reserves = ~10-30% J-35 + ~70-90% J-35A

That is, the J-35's production won't come to a halt outright, but will be reduced to smaller production volumes relative to the J-35A's production, which could be expected by the late-2020s at the earliest (if not in the 2030s).
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Once all the carrier "slots" and the land-based PLANAF extras are filled, is there any reason to continue J-35 production? Would the PLAAF take J-35 units?
 
Tomboy

Tomboy

Captain
Registered Member
Maikeru said:
IMO PLAN will continue to take new-build J-35 at a relatively low annual rate as new CVNs are commissioned until a navalized J-XDS is available.
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J-35 isn't fully ready yet anyways, WS-19H is still undergoing testing. Given that PLAN only has 2 fully operational carrier as of right now and 003 possibly at best reaching IOC in 2027, I don't think demand for J-35 is extremely pressing as of right now.
 
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ACuriousPLAFan

Lieutenant General
Registered Member
Aval said:
Once all the carrier "slots" and the land-based PLANAF extras are filled, is there any reason to continue J-35 production?
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Yes. Mainly to keep the production knowhow in use + Allow iterative upgrades to be implemented + Serves as a hedge against any potential delays to the J-XD(S)H program.

If anything, as all the J-35 slots on the current CVs get filled, I'd expect the J-35's production to gradually slow down, with all the new production units then directed to land-based training + rotational extras + building up reserves as they gradually plateau at a lower production rate (relative to the J-35A), while retaining the capability to periodically surge the J-35's production for new/upcoming carriers (004, 005, etc) in the years to come, in case such need arises.

Aval said:
Would the PLAAF take J-35 units?
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??? Why would they? The PLAAF certainly doesn't operate any aircraft carriers.
 
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