Is China’s J-31 5th-Gen Stealth Fighter a F-35 “Rip-Off?

Video Above: Could the US Stop China from Invading Taiwan

*A top Warrior Maven article. Republished for viewer interest

By Kris Osborn – President & Editor-In-Chief, Warrior Maven

(Washington D.C.) Chinese media reports have been referencing new photos of the emerging J-31 5th-Gen stealth fighter appearing on social media, ostensibly showing various design improvements to the new radar-evading multi-role aircraft. 

A May 5th report in the Global Times, an English Language Chinese newspaper, says the new photos show an …. “upgraded version with modifications made to its aerodynamic design just like the prototype that made its maiden flight in 2016, instead of the original version that made its public debut at Airshow China in 2014.” 

J-31 vs. F-35

Improvements or changes to the J-31 likely continue a long-standing pattern of China’s apparent and somewhat visible effort to copy, steal or mirror designs used for the U.S. F-35. 

Virtually all photos and renderings of the J-31, since first unveiled, revealed a striking resemblance to the U.S. F-35. This does not come to the surprise of many in the U.S., given China’s well-known and documented cyber espionage efforts.