What happened
On 7 January 2026 video showed a joint flight of two production Shenyang J‑35A stealth fighters flying in close formation over the Shenyang Aircraft Corporation plant in Liaoning province. The Daily CPEC published the footage, and the clips are said to originate from SAC.
"SAC China video shows two factory-new J-35 5th-gen stealth jets on first joint test flight."
— The Daily CPEC, Twitter
About the platform
The J‑35A is the land-based production version of the family derived from the FC‑31 demonstrator. The aircraft features stealth shaping, internal weapons bays and modern avionics with a panoramic display, a wide-format HUD and a helmet‑mounted display.
Weapons declared for the platform include PL‑15E and PL‑10 air‑to‑air missiles, KD‑88 strike missiles, YJ‑83 anti‑ship missiles, and various types of precision-guided bombs (FT, LS‑6, LT). The first production aircraft use Russian engines, with plans to gradually transition to Chinese powerplants.
Why it matters
The emergence of production J‑35A aircraft is not only a technological achievement for Chinese aviation but also part of a broader strategy: increasing the ability to operate in areas with strong air-defence systems and expanding aviation capabilities over the sea. At the same time Beijing is working on a carrier-capable version, which enhances its power projection in the region.
Analysts point to several implications: first, an increase in the number of stealth platforms changes requirements for air-defence and ELINT systems; second, active development of production aircraft accelerates the prospect of serial export; third, integration with long-range drones and tiltrotors strengthens a comprehensive strategy of remote sensing and strike.
Context for Ukraine
Although the appearance of the J‑35A does not pose a direct threat to Ukraine, this development matters for global and regional security, and therefore for the strategic calculations of our partners. First, it is another argument in favor of strengthening our own air-defence and integrated air‑defence systems. Second, the expansion of Chinese platforms on the global market may affect the availability and price of modern weapons systems — a factor to consider when planning procurements and cooperation with allies.
Conclusion
The demonstrative flight of two production J‑35A aircraft is a marker of China's technical progress and political will for large‑scale aviation modernization. For Ukraine this is a signal: work on national resilience in the air and coordination with partners on air-defence and intelligence capabilities remain priorities. What steps our partners will take in response is now a matter of operational policy and contracts.
