With the release of a new recorded report, China’s state television has revealed what appear to be the first images of the serial production line of its new stealth fighter, the J-35, which is expected to equip both the Navy and Air Force of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA). In the footage—taken during a segment primarily focused on the production of the already well-known J-15 fighters—at least one unit of the new fifth-generation aircraft can be seen in the background in the final stages of assembly, notably fitted with what appears to be an arrestor hook on its rear section.
The revelation was quickly picked up by open-source intelligence (OSINT) analysts, who began speculating on social media as to whether it was a television accident or, conversely, a discreet but entirely intentional message by the Asian giant. In the CCTV report, both the journalist and the engineers guiding the tour completely ignore the presence of the J-35, focusing exclusively on the J-15. Still, it seems unlikely that such an advanced aircraft would be left in view during a televised visit by mere oversight.
It is worth noting that China is not known for openly displaying the inner workings of its fifth-generation fighter production processes—this applies to both the J-35 and the J-20. The fact that these images are being shown now, at a time when China’s naval aviation and aircraft carrier fleet are undergoing rapid development, suggests that this is no coincidence. Rather, it appears to be a message indicating that the J-35 program is more advanced than previously believed, although no official statements have confirmed this.
Additionally, in recent months, the first limited-production J-35s have been observed by various watchers participating in formation flights alongside other aircraft already in service. These flights included jets with the same base paint scheme seen in the recent CCTV footage. Among the most recent sightings was on June 9, when China’s new stealth fighters were reported flying in formation with the aforementioned J-20s—the first of their kind produced by the country.
Furthermore, the opportunity to observe the J-35 production line in such an advanced state also lends credibility to China’s proposed sale of 40 units to its close partner Pakistan—a deal confirmed by Pakistani government sources on June 6 through a statement on social media. Such a transfer would be unlikely without at least an initial production capacity already in place. If finalized, this sale would represent a major leap in capabilities for Islamabad, whose current mainstays are the JF-17 Thunder and J-10CE fighters, both acquired through its partnership with Beijing.
*Image credits to their respective owners.
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