Shenyang FC-31 demonstrators / J-35 naval fighter / J-35A land-based version

SUPER=BUG said:
There are also some rumors on my side that there were two different J35s on display at that time, although they were both numbered "75" at the back, and as for this statement, I can't tell it.
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That's not a rumour, but a proven fact! ... most likely they even showed three different aircraft!

J-35A prototypes 01 - 03 + engines.jpg

1742987866969.jpeg
 
Wow, you're right, I always thought the two fighters were different.Other than that, do you know the naval version of the J35, the flaps may be a little different.
 
It appears that currently there are only two codenames: FC31 and J35. J35 is a significant improvement based on the FC31, while the foreign trade version corresponds to the FC31, or rather, it is designed according to the specific requirements of clients starting from the FC31 model.
 
Nice find SUPER=BUG, does that mean that all future PLAAF/PLAN fighters will have the two dimensional thrust vectoring nozzles fitter as standard or being retrofitted with them?
 
FighterJock said:
Nice find SUPER=BUG, does that mean that all future PLAAF/PLAN fighters will have the two dimensional thrust vectoring nozzles fitter as standard or being retrofitted with them?
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Oh, friend. This type of nozzle will make a slight difference in performance, the binary vector engine has almost 10% thrust loss, but the airflow close to the rectangular nozzle is easier to dissipate heat and will be better in terms of stealth. If China's engines are strong enough in the future, I think it's possible.
 

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Thanks SUPER=BUG, and also thanks for posting the diagram that explains the difference between the two vectoring nozzles that has been annoying me for quite some time.
 
FighterJock said:
Thanks SUPER=BUG, and also thanks for posting the diagram that explains the difference between the two vectoring nozzles that has been annoying me for quite some time.
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You're welcome, it's my pleasure to answer some of my friends' questions :)
 
SUPER=BUG said:
Oh, friend. This type of nozzle will make a slight difference in performance, the binary vector engine has almost 10% thrust loss, but the airflow close to the rectangular nozzle is easier to dissipate heat and will be better in terms of stealth. If China's engines are strong enough in the future, I think it's possible.
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10% loss is what the Russians have claimed with their crude initial attempts at a flat vectoring nozzle design. Those losses are not inherent to the configuration, but are a design challenge to overcome. The F-22/F119 nozzle losses are significantly less than the Russian experience.
 
F119Doctor said:
10% loss is what the Russians have claimed with their crude initial attempts at a flat vectoring nozzle design. Those losses are not inherent to the configuration, but are a design challenge to overcome. The F-22/F119 nozzle losses are significantly less than the Russian experience.
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I remember reading (here?) that the flat nozzle can help with drag by optimizing the airflow separation, and reducing the wake turbulence, does this sound plausible to you?
 
Absolutely! The reason that the external flaps (I.e. turkey feathers) were removed from the USAF F-15s is the the turbulent flow around two closely spaced round nozzles (and the 4 tail surfaces) was any extremely challenging environment, and it cost a lot of maintenance and spare parts to keep replacing them. The square nozzles integrate much more smoothly in that closely spaced environment, reducing drag and improving signature.

FYI - the composite black turkey feathers on the F100-229 were designed to live in the F-15 aft end environment. The USAF decided to leave them off for cost and commonality with the earlier -100/-220 powered F-15.
 
F119Doctor said:
10% loss is what the Russians have claimed with their crude initial attempts at a flat vectoring nozzle design. Those losses are not inherent to the configuration, but are a design challenge to overcome. The F-22/F119 nozzle losses are significantly less than the Russian experience.
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Just an example, in fact, no one can know what the Chinese version is. But China did explore in this area.
 
fightingirish said:
One Uzbek pilot recorded a video of him flying the J-35A. I can't confirm, if this video really shows the J-35A cockpit. :confused:
It might be a (with MFD upgraded) cockpit of another Chinese fighter jet, since the Usbek government is interested in buying Chinese fighter jets.
https://twitter.com/x/status/1909255263850279167
View: https://x.com/OSINTWarfare/status/1909255263850279167?t=X9IN7hH00-KMr6LUwycKlA&s=19


Dear members and mods like @Deino , if this post is false, please let me know and I will delete it from this topic. :)
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It is obvious that this is a Chinese aircraft. But this is not a J35, although the display shows a twin-engine fighter, but judging by the cockpit layout, this is more likely to be an L10 or L15 trainer.
 
fightingirish said:
One Uzbek pilot recorded a video of him flying the J-35A. I can't confirm, if this video really shows the J-35A cockpit. :confused:
It might be a (with MFD upgraded) cockpit of another Chinese fighter jet, since the Usbek government is interested in buying Chinese fighter jets.
https://twitter.com/x/status/1909255263850279167
View: https://x.com/OSINTWarfare/status/1909255263850279167?t=X9IN7hH00-KMr6LUwycKlA&s=19


Dear members and mods like @Deino , if this post is false, please let me know and I will delete it from this topic. :)
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Another says that JL-10
https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=4145862345647643
View: https://www.facebook.com/100058473764407/videos/4145862345647643/?app=fbl
 
SUPER=BUG said:
It is obvious that this is a Chinese aircraft. But this is not a J35, although the display shows a twin-engine fighter, but judging by the cockpit layout, this is more likely to be an L10 or L15 trainer.
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Indeed, the J-35 for Usbekistan is as likely as Germany bring launch-Customer for the F-47 ;)
 
The J-35 would be highly unlikely for Uzbekistan as they would not have the nessesary experience to operate the it, let alone repair and maintain the stealth coating.
 
if you look closely at the video, there's a long "bar" on the canopy..
Screenshot 2025-04-08 at 05-29-13 OSINTWarfare on X Reports citing Uzbekistan’s Defense Indust...png
making me think it is likely a JF-17 and not a J-35. I also think the J-10 has one too.
Azerbaijani-President-in-JF-17.jpg


Currently the Uzbek air force operates the MiG-29s and updated Su-25s. They seem to have retired their Su-27s
 
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helmutkohl said:
if you look closely at the video, there's a long "bar" on the canopy..
View attachment 765982
making me think it is likely a JF-17 and not a J-35. I also think the J-10 has one too.
Azerbaijani-President-in-JF-17.jpg


Currently the Uzbek air force operates the MiG-29s and updated Su-25s. They seem to have retired their Su-27s
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That is the explosive cord. It's quite common on LIFT trainers and fighter aircraft.

This is the cockpit of the JF-17 (AFAIA everything in the cockpit was left untouched in Block 3 except for the HUD and the HMDC) and the one in the video obviously does not match its details at all.

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And this is the simulator of the JL-10/L-15:

53409579155_def65c0116_k.jpg



...Convinced you yet?
 
helmutkohl said:
the cockpit of the JL-10 looks like this
https://twitter.com/x/status/1174311565790732293
View: https://x.com/rupprechtdeino/status/1174311565790732293


unless what you are showing me is another variant
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I've spent half an hour in the "Trainer aircraft tread" on SDF to find the relevant cockpit photo. It seems lile the cockpit has gone through two redesigns already.

Post in thread 'Chinese Trainer Aircraft (JL-8, JL-9, JL-10 (L-15), etc.)

Here's another look:

1000031844.jpg

Whereas this is the old layout:

1000031845.jpg
 
snne said:
I've spent half an hour in the "Trainer aircraft tread" on SDF to find the relevant cockpit photo. It seems lile the cockpit has gone through two redesigns already.

Post in thread 'Chinese Trainer Aircraft (JL-8, JL-9, JL-10 (L-15), etc.)

Here's another look:

View attachment 765987
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what you posted looks like the J-35 simulator
note the two bay pics on the screen.

another view of the J-35 simulator can be seen here

J-35 carrier fighter (PLAN) thread

Just because it is a generic looking "modern fighter" cockpit that isn't J-20, doesn't necessarily mean it's for J-35/XY. We've seen multiple such cockpit renditions at Zhuhai and other tradeshows before, as just general technology displays. It doesn't necessarily mean they are the actual...
www.sinodefenceforum.com
 
helmutkohl said:
what you posted looks like the J-35 simulator
note the two bay pics on the screen.

another view of the J-35 simulator can be seen here

J-35 carrier fighter (PLAN) thread

Just because it is a generic looking "modern fighter" cockpit that isn't J-20, doesn't necessarily mean it's for J-35/XY. We've seen multiple such cockpit renditions at Zhuhai and other tradeshows before, as just general technology displays. It doesn't necessarily mean they are the actual...
www.sinodefenceforum.com
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I'm assuming this is what you're trying to show me?

1000031853.jpg
 
snne said:
I'm assuming this is what you're trying to show me?

View attachment 765990
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No, you probably can't see it as you need to log on, but here's a youtube video showing the same thing.
Its not a simulator for a trainer jet, its one for the J-35 or FC-31.
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=98j2wq_V6F8


the displays do look similar to the one in that Uzbek video, but the buttons by the HUD are slightly different?

On the earlier comment on whether Uzbekistan can handle the J-35..
I don't know how demanding the aircraft is maintenance wise..
but Uzbekistan has moderate air force that's been updating. They recently received a number of planes from the old Afghan AF. For a time they used to build/maintain Ilyushin aircraft as well at their Tashkent plant, before switching over to non-aviation industries.
Economically, the country has an HDI level at the same level as Egypt and Vietnam. I don't think a small number of J-35s is unreasonable.. but I've felt that they might be more interested in Kaan.
 
helmutkohl said:
No, you probably can't see it as you need to log on
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I am a member there, but I haven't had the time to log in today. It might also be due to the crappy internet I've been having lately...

I don't think Uzbekistan has the capacity to field anything beyond a modern MiG-21, and even that would be pushing it. Maybe, if I can find some time, I'll write a more comprehensive explanation as to why.
 

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