While I agree with your general assessment about the balance of power shifts, I don't agree that F-22 and F-35 having better stealth. Looking at how smooth the surfaces are for the J-35, I would say that it most likely have better stealth compared to F-35. It is not clear how J-20 compared to F-35. F-22, judging from the geometry, might have better stealth compared to J-20(the J-20 has canards), but the design is old and material science and 3D printing have come a long ways since F-22 was build, so I won't even bet a lot of money that F-22 is more stealthy compared to J-20. the F-22 and the J-35 have similar clean geometry, but given that J-35 came much later, I would say it should have better stealth compared to F-22.
Chengdu next gen combat aircraft (?J-36)
- Thread starter Blitzo
- Start date
correct. shared same supply chain and technologies.
We do atleast know basically all of the J-20s in service has worse rearward stealth than any US fifth generation simply because WS-10C does not have any stealthy augmentor and a rather lousily done LO nozzle.
I'm aware that the teams are separate, however I imagine that key personnel and technologies can be/are transferred between programmes as required. No need to reinvent the wheel. Even the American MIC has movement of key engineers between competing for-profit companies.
Moreover, my main point was that in the 2020s there's now sufficient numbers of talented individuals to have fully staffed, separate teams work on next-gen programmes concurrently rather than sequentially. This is not a minor point, as Pete Hesgeth has been reported by Western watchers to oppose F/A-XX at the current time as he's concerned it will overstretch the American MIC and negatively impact the F-47 programme.
The FC-31 was a private venture by SAC before it officially became a military programme (with associated funding) to produce the J-35. So while the FC-31 tech demonstrator was made entirely by SAC's own talent pool, I suspect it was possible to requisition talent from the wider MIC (that largely exists under the state-owned AVIC banner) once it got picked for the J-35 programme starting sometime in 2021 (this date is based on rumours). Had the J-35 programme launched in 2012 when the J-20 programme was in full swing (first flight being merely a year before), that would suggest China's MIC at the time had sufficient quantity of engineering talent to develop both concurrently, but that clearly did not happen. Of course, this could have been down to China's different/smaller geopolitical aims at the time rather than MIC size, but it could have still played a factor.
We overtly know the Chinese MIC shares tech for 6th-gen because we saw UADF variants with J-XDS AMTs.
that's correct. also CAC and SAC don't operate alone. they have affiliated research institutes/universities and they do share Technologies under AVIC banner.
SAC lost race in J-XX program against J-20 so they decided to develop FC-31 with their own money in order to attract foreign customers. in mid 2010's PLAN was in search for next generation carrier platform so FC-31 got a new life line. since then project continue to evolve and turned into J-35.
SAC reputation among Chinese defense enthusiast wasn't good as they were seen as copycat of Russian aircrafts. they have gone through a hard time. FC-31/J-35 was the first clean-sheet design and again they lost the battle. fortunately PLAN turned everything for them then PLAAF decided to procure A variant due to various reasons. SAC evolved a lot in past decade. now SAC building one of the largest integrated manufacturing complex for J-35 serial production and future J-XD. that's huge facility.
This seems to be the complete video which is from Weibo post something in December 2025.
I am almost certain that it is authentic, not AI.
More for the record than for any visible news, this was just posted by t1me on X but I‘m not sure if indeed from today!
They've posted another clip with the caption-reply "J-36 out for a stroll today", so it probably is indded from today!