From the blurry ass image I think the pitot is still there.
J-XY/J-35 carrier-borne fighter thread
- Thread starter Deino
- Start date
From the way the canopy opens, we can say that it isn't a J-31.
I.e.: it is the J-35/XY, the carrier based variant.
The J-31 itself is technically not a designation that exists yet, because the two land based testbeds that were flown prior to it, were FC-31, not J-31.
Did the wings get larger plus a change in the angle of trailing edge?.
This makes me think it is an FC-35, plus there seems to be reinforcements struts behind the nose wheel.
Seeing as this particular plane has separated flaps and ailerons (I think, the image is pretty blurry) which is a feature seen exclusively on the J-35, I’d say that this is indeed a J-35 prototype. The pitot tube thing is anyone’s guess though, it’d be easy enough for someone to photoshop it off before posting
Clearly they are feeding the crowd with drop with J-35. So few pictures and updates.
Shenyang Aircraft Corp to start the construction of a new manufacturing/assembly hall. Length ~750 meters x Width ~290 meters x Height ~16 meters. Total build-up area is ~280 thousand m2.
Slated to start construction on the 19th this month, expected completion by the late-June 2025. Serial production inside the hall can be expected to begin sometime in 2026 or 2027.
Posted by @伏尔戈星图 on Weibo.
It is said that this new Shenyang hall is comparable in size to the USAF Plant 4 building (responsible for manufacturing F-35s) in Forth Worth, Texas.
According to him, the mass production of the J-35/31 can be expected in the future once the new hall enters operation.
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Personal comment (in Italic):
Perhaps this could also be hinting towards PLAAF operating land-based variant of the J-35/31 in the future?
PS: Addition
Note that I cannot vouch for the veracity of this (merely based on viewing other people's comments and my own gut feeling), so please reserve your judgement until official confirmation is available.
Slated to start construction on the 19th this month, expected completion by the late-June 2025. Serial production inside the hall can be expected to begin sometime in 2026 or 2027.
Posted by @伏尔戈星图 on Weibo.
It is said that this new Shenyang hall is comparable in size to the USAF Plant 4 building (responsible for manufacturing F-35s) in Forth Worth, Texas.
According to him, the mass production of the J-35/31 can be expected in the future once the new hall enters operation.
=====
Personal comment (in Italic):
Perhaps this could also be hinting towards PLAAF operating land-based variant of the J-35/31 in the future?
PS: Addition
Note that I cannot vouch for the veracity of this (merely based on viewing other people's comments and my own gut feeling), so please reserve your judgement until official confirmation is available.
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Some corrections on this claim:
And an interesting assertion vis-a-vis J-35 vs J-20 production:
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I think OP is talking about hall-to-hall floor space not the total floor space of all buildings.
In fact Chengdu may have even fewer floor space than the proposed integrated Shenyang Hall, but somehow the production rate has reached at least 50 or optimistically 100 depending on which rumor one is buying in.
But he is making a point that floor space is not everything as we have no idea how many of these halls are used to assemble or making other sub system.