J-35 carrier fighter (PLAN) thread
- Thread starter Deino
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I'm pretty sure the detonation cords are still present on the canopy, it's just that the central section are now arranged as less visible longitudinal lines running down the middle, rather than more visible lines.
A few more shots of the J-35 on the production line at Shenyang AC. Posted by @鼎盛沙龙 on Weibo.
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Does 350030 mean the 30th produced unit?
30th unit of 0th (LRIP) batch
Tbh if they've produced up to 30 J-35s (or even more), that would be a bit of a surprise even if we included prototypes. Given they never show the actual most up to date produced unit, it means that the real number that exists would be somewhat higher.
Alternatively if it includes J-35As (which seems a bit doubtful), then showing us unit 30 makes a bit more sense, but in that case I do doubt if they'd include both J-35 and 35A in the same production serials.
Alternatively if it includes J-35As (which seems a bit doubtful), then showing us unit 30 makes a bit more sense, but in that case I do doubt if they'd include both J-35 and 35A in the same production serials.
Are prototypes numbered differently? I think producing 30 isnt too surprising is it? It’s already almost been a year since the parade. Chengdu can already make 120 J-20s a year. The J-35 is also cheaper and easier to produce since its body is basically 3D printed(?).
It is plausible or at least possible that SAC is employing nonsequential serial numbers for J-35 fighters rolling off the production line for MILDEC purposes.
That said, considering how many J-15T naval fighters SAC managed to produce before the OSINT community caught on, I suspect the most likely explanation is simply that J-35 production is further along than previously thought.
I don't think we can ever rule out that possibility for any serial production aircraft, however as far as I know it would be the first time that any PRC aerospace manufacturer had done that.
That of course is a very real possibility and I suspect it is probably the most likely explanation as well.
However, with J-15T we saw them in regular service colours aboard both of the STOBAR carriers as that declaration (back in 2024 when a large number of J-15Ts overflew the dual STOBAR exercise/photo-op).
Seeing a "surprise" of more J-35s produced than previously last estimated (even though the idea of 30+ J-35s produced by now is well within reason), in the form of a factory fresh airframe, is a somewhat different medium.