If JXX/J14 does end up being a fairly stealthy, proper 5th generation plane, similar in size and mission to f22 or pakfa, it does seem logical and very likely to complement it with a smaller, one engined plane. I'd say the need is definitely there.
In effect, that plane should replace j10s, though realistically, it is more likely to serve alongside it for a decade or two...
Q5 doesn't need a proper replacement, meaning no dedicated attack plane. Even today Q5 fleet is quickly diminishing, it actually seems as if new J10s are replacing Q5s rather than J7s in numbers, if not in squadrons.
Should the new plane be something like JSF? Sure, to an extent. I believe the j10 replacement should be something only slightly heavier and bigger than j10 intself, and definitely smaller and lighter than f35. There'd probably be no STOVL version, though i'd say its quite likely there'd be a naval version developed, with bigger wing etc.
The image below depicts a plane which used j10s features as a starting point. Naturally, it'd really be a completely new plane. It does have to be said that the image below was made perfectly to scale with existing j10. Length is the same, though the plane's body is taller and wider. With larger engine, larger wing, internal weapons carriage, etc, etc, its bound to be heavier, easely two tons heavier, in my opinion.
While it would probably be of lowered RCS, i went with more conventional layout and didn't sacrifice everything to low RCS. Not because it's not worth it (i do believe it is) but because the tech and manufacturing just may not be quite there within next ten years. Still, sub 1 m squared RCS should be attainable...
Since it's smaller than f35, internal weapons capacity is smaller. Four amraams or four 500 kg bombs. Weapon bays would just be too shallow for anything larger, though some square shaped, jsow like missile should be able to fit inside, two of them actually, even if they weighed 1000 kg. Still, current pl12's fins are just too large for this weapons bay. It was made to fit amraam sized missile, not anything bigger than that. In addition to that, internal fuel hold is also bound to be smaller than f35, with fuel fraction probably not going over 25%.
Heavier weapons would hopefully be carried by JH7's replacement, or perhaps j14 would be designed as a multirole plane and not just air superiority one like f22.
Planeman, your design looks quite sleek but, like you said in your post, it is clearly a q5 and j7 replacement. It seems to be tailored for attack role as much as it is made for fighter role. Why the choice of forward swept wings? Because of lower and transonic speeds mostly used in ground attack missions?
