Prototype Chinese J-31 Carrier-Launched 5th-Gen Stealth Fighter Built to Challenge US Navy F-35C

By Kris Osborn, President, Center for Military Modernization

Very little is known about China’s highly-touted J-31 carrier-launched 5th-generation stealth fighter, as the program seems largely shroud in secrecy. This is not surprising given China’s current deficit in the area of ocean-launched 5th-generation aircraft, yet the People’s Liberation Army Air Force and Navy have made some comments about the jet’s progress and even released photos showing its upgraded configuration.

In recent years, Chinese newspapers have published some photos show design configuration enhancements reportedly capable of further reducing the aircraft’s radar signature.

An interesting write up in Aerocorner says the J-31 is still only in the prototype phase and only two have been built thus far.

“The FC-31 is still something of a secret, but it’s thought to measure 56 feet 9 inches, be able to reach Mach 1.8 via 2×RD-93 afterburning turbofans, and be capable of being armed with yet unknown air-to-air and air-to-ground missiles and bombs,” Aerocorner states.

A quick look at available photos reveal a very noticeable similarity between the external configuration of the J-31 and US F-35 and F-22. Prototype J-31s have an F-22-like dual engine configuration and a distinctly F-35-like looking fuselage. China is well known for being suspected of “ripping-off” advanced US military technologies and in many cases simply “copying” US weapons platforms. Pr

Several years ago, a Global Times report said the J-31 showed design improvements at the 2019 Paris Air Show. Photos from the story reveal profound visual similarities between the F-35 and J-31. This is not without precedent, as the Chinese media itself has noted similarities between the two aircraft.

Portions of a story from the Chinese government’s “People’s Daily Online” as far back as 2013 specifically cites design similarity between the emerging Chinese J-31 and the F-35, writing that the “J-31 and F-35 use the same DSI inlet (non-boundary layer-separated lane supersonic inlet).” The only major difference, the paper notes, is that the U.S. has an F-35B Short Take Off and Landing variant and that the J-31 uses two engines compared to the F-35’s single engine propulsion configuration.