Shenyang FC-31 / J-31 Fighter Demonstrator

Under @9谢艺航6's original post:

There's a guy commented: "Where actually is this plane?"
@9谢艺航6 replied: "Don't you know where it's at already?"

And under @9谢艺航6's later post showing he's in Xian:

The same guy commented: "Just follow 呱呱 and there's meat to eat" (for non-Chinese speakers, this is a commonly used phrase saying there's going to be some benefit by following/going with somebody).

I think these two tweets are saying this guy is with @9谢艺航6 at Xian...

So

Deino said:

A good point: Was this image taken at the CFTE at Xi'an-Yanliang or again at Shenyang-Beiling?

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I think this pic is taken in Xian/Yanliang.

Arienai said:

Under @9谢艺航6's original post:
View attachment 60022
There's a guy commented: "Where actually is this plane?"
@9谢艺航6 replied: "Don't you know where it's at already?"

And under @9谢艺航6's later post showing he's in Xian:
View attachment 60025
The same guy commented: "Just follow 呱呱 and there's meat to eat" (for non-Chinese speakers, this is a commonly used phrase saying there's going to be some benefit by following/going with somebody).

I think these two tweets are saying this guy is with @9谢艺航6 at Xian...

So

I think this pic is taken in Xian/Yanliang.

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Thanks again and @10969YUKIKAZE at Twitter also confirmed this.

Arienai said:

I did saw that 31003 picture but many people have been saying its a photoshop so I didn't take it seriously... (And now it seems like a real one...)

As for Wanquan's reply, honestly I can't tell whether he is joking about the fact that the pitot has been removed or is he calling it out as a photoshop... And yes he did use the word "erase", but it could still be interpreted as a joke... Without knowing the tone he speaks at it really could be interpreted either way... I still trust @9谢艺航6 due to his records over the years.

However I just found this guy is in Xian right now... So now I'm actually leaning towards this is the 2.0 one, they simply removed the pitot on it...
View attachment 60019

Maybe they did something to the 2.0 in Yanliang this couple of days?

Man it's been so confusing I should just stop judging and wait for more info...

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Yeah they probably just removed and replaced the radome with a different one.

Arienai said:

One thing that's for sure: no matter this pic is 2.0 or the new one, it's definitely not the rumored J35 (or however the carrier variant is called), since the wings clearly can't be folded (which is way I'm leaning towards this is the 2.0 one)... Even for a prototype, the flaps should at least be break into two pieces at where it will be folded for the carrier variant.

Personally I hope this still is the 2.0 cause I've waiting for the good news about the 5th gen carrier jet for so long...

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True I think we'd all be somewhat disappointed with this being the prototype for a carrier fighter. Would like to see a heavier weight fighter if the engines can allow. Probably will be exactly the same size as 02, maybe a tiny but larger.

Yes now I'm very confident this comment guy and @9谢艺航6 is together at Xian

I went to this comment guy's weibo and saw this


Quick translation:
@9谢艺航6: Go pay the bill!
Comment guy: You eat and drink my stuff, have a better attitude!
@9谢艺航6: I didn't drink it, do you mean last night?
Comment guy: You're not counting the water this morning?
@9谢艺航6: The water is from the hotel

ougoah said:

True I think we'd all be somewhat disappointed with this being the prototype for a carrier fighter. Would like to see a heavier weight fighter if the engines can allow. Probably will be exactly the same size as 02, maybe a tiny but larger.

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I actually expect the variant that's going to appear on carriers is going to be VERY close to 2.0 we're seeing. At best, there might be somewhat enlarged wings and control surfaces going on.

If the photo is genuine and undoctored, and if it is indeed geolocated at Yanliang, then I think we have a few possibilities to explore:

1) The lack of a radome pitot tube may indicate that avionics testing is underway. This may indicate that the PLAAF (not just PLANAF) is also looking at potentially inducting a version of the FC-31.

2) The continued testing of the FC-31 2.0 at Yanliang is almost a sure sign that at least one customer, not necessarily Chinese, is interested in the FC-31. Or a derivative of it.

3) The FC-31 2.0 may just be doing flight tests to gather data for a potential test flight of the actual "J-35" prototype.

4) The FC-31 2.0 may be a testbed for subsystems to be used on other platforms. But this is of very low possibility since there are plenty of other testbeds to assess such systems. Using a new prototype doesn't make sense.

All in all, these photos plus the earlier rumors + illustrations by "dzytc" seems to suggest that the FC-31 carrier version may be around the corner. If "dzytc"'s rumors are true and that his eyes have not deceived him, it'll only be a matter of weeks or a month or two before actual photographs of the J-35 will be posted.

SinoSoldier said:

All in all, these photos plus the earlier rumors + illustrations by "dzytc" seems to suggest that the FC-31 carrier version may be around the corner. If "dzytc"'s rumors are true and that his eyes have not deceived him, it'll only be a matter of weeks or a month or two before actual photographs of the J-35 will be posted.

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Not necessarily. If any of those propositions are true it might actually indicate a J-35 prototype is still a year or two away. Could be like the jump from the 200X series planes to the 201X series for the J-20.

latenlazy said:

Not necessarily. If any of those propositions are true it might actually indicate a J-35 prototype is still a year or two away. Could be like the jump from the 200X series planes to the 201X series for the J-20.

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The user "DZYTC" said that he personally saw a prototype aircraft and posted illustrations (which is posted here) of what he believes he saw. So, if that premise is true, then the prototype will undergo taxiing tests - and subsequently be inevitably exposed to curious photographers - in the coming weeks/months.

My personal conviction is that the recent transfer of the FC-31 2.0 to CFTE is unrelated to the J-35 program. But we'll wait and see as always.

I think whatever testing they do for the FC-31 airframes will have benefits for the development of J-XY/J-35 as well...

However I also think that the exact pace or progress of FC-31 airframe testing (whether it's V1 or V2) doesn't necessarily have anything to do with the pace or progress of J-XY/J-35 itself.

Bltizo said:

I think whatever testing they do for the FC-31 airframes will have benefits for the development of J-XY/J-35 as well...

However I also think that the exact pace or progress of FC-31 airframe testing (whether it's V1 or V2) doesn't necessarily have anything to do with the pace or progress of J-XY/J-35 itself.

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Agreed, but the fact alone it was seen at the CFTE could at least carefully spoken be a hint that flight test or maybe the status of the project at all has entered a different level from a pure SAC/AVIC project to "maybe" something with a central government or PLA involvement.