The J-31: not yet as stealthy as it needs to be The J-31, Chinas second fifth-generation stealth fighter designed by Shenyang Aircraft Corporation, was detected by both Russian and American aircraft radar systems during its 10-minute performance flight at the Zhuhai Air Show last month, reports our sister newspaper, Want Daily. Lin Zuoming, the general manager of Chinas Aviation Industry Corporation claimed that J-31 is capable of defeating the US F-35 stealth fighter during an television interview on Dec. 7. However, military experts from mainland China told Want Daily that the Russian Su-35 fighter and American C-17 cargo plane participating the air show could detect the J-31 in the air during its performance. Unlike the US or Russia, China is still unable to design proper radar absorbing coating for its stealth fighter. This is the carafts second major weakness besides problems related to the engine, reported Want Daily. If the Shenyang Aircraft Corporation is unable to fix those two issues, the J-31 can not really be counted as a fifth-generation stealth fighter. He said that the J-31 may look like an F-35, but thats where the similarities end. Still, the expert said that the J-31 shown in Zhuhai was only an experimental aircraft. It may eventually be developed into a better fighter if solutions to its current problems. The craft, also known as the FC-31, has been developed primarily for Chinas security partners around the globe, and still poses a challenge to the F-35 in the oversea market. And to be fair, the expert said that China is still one of few nations in the world to put a fifth-generation stealth fighter into the sky. The J-31 did not make a good showing at Zhuhai either. Black smoke plumed out of one of the crafts two engines immediately after it was shown to the public. During its performance, it was not allowed to conduct supersonic flight. On top of all this, Visitors to the air show were not allowed to take a closer look when it was displayed in the ground. it seems the Chinese aviation industry is not ready to let the world learn more about its stealth fighter.
Posted on: Sun, 14 Dec 2014 21:26:15 +0000
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