China Fast-Tracks J-35A Stealth Jets to Pakistan, First Units to Fly by Q1 2026

(DEFENCE SECURITY ASIA) — In a move that could dramatically reshape South Asia’s airpower equilibrium, Beijing is reportedly fast-tracking the delivery of its next-generation stealth fighter, the J-35A, to long-time strategic partner Pakistan, with Islamabad now expected to receive its first batch as early as the first quarter of 2026.

According to senior officials within the Pakistan Air Force (PAF), China has moved to accelerate the handover of the Shenyang Aircraft Corporation’s fifth-generation platform by six months—a timeline shift widely interpreted as a response to growing regional tensions and a desire to reinforce Pakistan’s aerial deterrent posture.

“With Beijing bringing forward the delivery timeline by six months, Pakistan is now expected to receive its first batch of the fifth-generation stealth fighters in early 2026,” the source stated.

Under the initial agreement, Pakistan was scheduled to begin receiving the first of 40 J-35A aircraft towards the end of 2026, but the revised timeline underscores the urgency driving bilateral defence collaboration.

While these developments have yet to be officially acknowledged by Islamabad, the PAF, or SAC, the weight of the reports adds to mounting expectations that Pakistan’s future air combat capability is on the cusp of a generational leap.

Reports from late 2024 first revealed Pakistan’s plans to procure 40 J-35A stealth fighters—marking the first known export of a fifth-generation fighter aircraft by China, a milestone Beijing is eager to showcase in its rise as a global defence exporter.

The timing of the deal closely followed a high-profile visit to Islamabad by General Zhang Youxia, Vice Chairman of China’s Central Military Commission, during which he held closed-door talks with Pakistan Army Chief General Asim Munir.

Further speculation was ignited in April when PAF Chief Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmad Babar visited Beijing, with official Chinese media later confirming that he met with Defence Minister Dong Jun on April 8.

As reported by Global Times, the meeting focused on expanding strategic military cooperation between the two countries amid a backdrop of increasingly complex regional security dynamics—ranging from Indian airpower modernisation to the evolving Indo-Pacific architecture.

If delivered on schedule, the J-35A could tip the regional airpower balance in Pakistan’s favour, especially as India remains reliant on legacy platforms like the Su-30MKI and the newer but still non-stealth Rafale, neither of which match the fifth-generation characteristics of China’s latest fighter.

As early as 2024, the Pakistan Air Force had hinted at its intentions to acquire the J-35A, a move widely viewed as part of Islamabad’s broader effort to establish air parity with India’s quantitative and qualitative edge.

In a significant statement that year, Air Chief Marshal Zaheer said, “Negotiations have taken place to procure the J-35A, which will soon become part of the Pakistan Air Force.”

Pakistani media reports have since indicated that a cohort of PAF pilots has already been dispatched to China for operational conversion training on the J-35A platform—offering tangible proof of Pakistan’s forward momentum toward fifth-generation airpower capability.

China’s J-35A sits at the core of its strategy to erode U.S. and allied air dominance by deploying scalable, stealth-enabled fighters tailored for high-end warfighting in contested electromagnetic environments.

Configured as a single-seat, twin-engine stealth fighter, the J-35A blends advanced avionics, low observable design, and real-time battlefield integration—placing it firmly within the vanguard of Beijing’s push for multi-domain supremacy.

It is engineered to act as a networked battlespace coordinator, acquiring enemy targets, distributing targeting data to other platforms such as SAM batteries, and guiding long-range munitions to intercept threats including stealth fighters and low-RCS cruise missiles.

Its development marks a strategic pivot in Chinese military aviation, aimed at fielding an affordable but lethal fleet to eventually replace aging legacy aircraft including the J-7, J-8, and older J-10 variants.

Complementing the land-based J-35A is the J-35 carrier-based variant, intended for operations aboard PLA Navy aircraft carriers—highlighting the aircraft’s versatility across China’s joint military architecture.

The J-35A places a premium on agility, radar evasion, and cross-theater operational reach.

Its streamlined fuselage, sculpted surfaces, and signature V-tail configuration reduce radar cross-section and aerodynamic drag, enhancing both stealth and maneuverability.

Unlike the forward-canard J-20, the J-35A features a conventional horizontal stabilizer setup with canted vertical stabilizers that strike a balance between stealth geometry and aerodynamic control.

Its twin-engine architecture provides both thrust redundancy and enhanced acceleration—advantages over single-engine platforms like the F-35, though it introduces marginal increases in radar signature due to its broader airframe.

Stealth performance is augmented by extensive use of radar-absorbent materials (RAM), serrated skin panel interfaces, and a low-observable exhaust system that reduces both infrared and radar detectability.

Internally housed weapons enable the J-35A to maintain its low RCS profile even while armed with long-range air-to-air missiles like the PL-17, designed for high-value target neutralization deep within contested airspace.

Avionics include a cutting-edge Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar, chin-mounted electro-optical/infrared sensors akin to the F-35’s EOTS, and distributed aperture systems providing full-sphere situational awareness.

The cockpit features a wide-angle holographic HUD, likely augmented by helmet-mounted displays, and a full glass avionics suite designed to facilitate seamless data fusion and multi-domain combat operations.

Estimated Technical Specifications (Based on FC-31/J-35 Models):

Category: Medium-weight, twin-engine, multirole fifth-generation stealth fighter
Crew: 1 pilot

Dimensions:

• Length: ~17.3 meters (56.8 ft)

• Wingspan: ~11.5 meters (37.7 ft)

• Height: ~4.8 meters (estimated)

Weights:

• Maximum Takeoff Weight: ~28,000 kg (61,729 lb)

• Empty Weight: ~17,000–18,000 kg (estimated)

Propulsion:

• 2 × Guizhou WS-21 afterburning turbofan engines (WS-13E in prototypes)

• Thrust: 87.2–93.2 kN (19,600–21,000 lbf) per engine with afterburner

• Projected Upgrade: WS-19 engine with ~10 tons thrust, 9.8 thrust-to-weight ratio, enabling supercruise capabilities

Performance:

• Top Speed: ~Mach 2.0 (Mach 1.8 in early FC-31 tests)

• Combat Radius: ~1,200 km (746 miles), with possible extension via dorsal fuel module

• Service Ceiling: ~16,000 meters (52,493 ft)

• Supercruise: Anticipated with WS-19 engine (unverified)

Stealth and Survivability:

• DSI (diverterless supersonic inlets), S-ducts, edge-aligned control surfaces

• RAM coating and structural radar suppression techniques

• Estimated RCS: Slightly larger than F-35’s 0.001 m², but compliant with stealth thresholds

• Optional Luneburg lens for radar signature enhancement in peacetime ops

Avionics and Cockpit:

• AESA radar comparable to late-gen J-20A variants

• EO/IR chin sensor for precision targeting

• Distributed aperture system for spherical threat detection

• Wide-angle HUD and likely HMD integration

• Full-glass cockpit with panoramic displays

• Integrated sensor fusion and real-time network coordination

Armament:

• Internal Bay: 6 × PL-15 AAMs or comparable ordnance (~2,000 kg internal)

• External Stores: 6 × hardpoints (up to 6,000 kg payload)

• Max Weapons Load: ~8,000 kg (17,637 lb)

• Munitions: PL-17, air-to-ground missiles, PGMs, and other mission-specific armaments

Landing Gear:

• Single-wheel for airstrip ops (twin-wheel setup in J-35 carrier variant)

Mission Profile:

• Designed for air dominance, precision strike, multi-domain awareness, and networked battle coordination

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