A new Chinese stealth fighter debuted at the Zhuhai international airshow earlier this month. The Chinese made twin-engine J-31 fighter signals to U.S. industry analysts that China may be planning to sell them on the market as an alternative solution for customers who cannot afford Lockheed Martin’s F-35.
The resemblance between J-31 and F-35 is too close to miss, that many military analysts suspect the Chinese-made fighter is using technology from the F-35 itself. In light of contemporary industry espionage, it’s not at all unfeasible to wonder where the technology comes from.
A senior U.S. pilot familiar with the older F-16 model spoke out to UNSI.org, stating that the J-31 is more likely to be a fourth generation stealth fighter than a fifth-generation stealth fighter as was advertised. This is not to say that the fighter jet would not eventually match the technology of fifth-generation fighters, but air shows are designed to showcase weapon potential to prospective buyers without actually presenting real information to buys.
“Airshows provide no real clue to capabilities. As such, airshows generally rely on spectacular maneuvers to garner attention without providing substance. No different from the F-15C or the F-22,” stated one former U.S. fighter pilot speaking with UNSI.
Another former Air Force pilot familiar with foreign technology worries that if aerial combat were to ever occur between US and Chinese air forces, the vast number of Chinese fighter jets may create a bigger advantage over the superior training of U.S. pilots.
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