By Gerry Doyle

SINGAPORE (Reuters)

China's much-anticipated J-35A stealth aircraft, the centerpiece of this week's Zhuhai air show, has taken over a decade to develop. However, experts claim that little is known about its capabilities.

The J-35A, a land-based variant, will make its public debut on Tuesday, coinciding with the 75th anniversary of the People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF). It will feature a flying display. Another version, the J-35, is tailored for China’s aircraft carriers.

Despite the aircraft's public appearance occurring more than 10 years after the J-31’s first flight, military analysts have noted that scarce details about the J-35's performance and stealth characteristics are available.

Collin Koh from the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore indicated, "Because of the black box typically surrounding PLA miltech developments, we won’t be too certain of the J-35's performance." He also suggested refraining from outright skepticism regarding the aircraft's potential.

The Shenyang Aircraft Corporation, part of the state-owned Aviation Industry Corporation of China, designs and builds both J-35 variants. The state-controlled People’s Daily stated that the J-35A is primarily tasked with maintaining air superiority.

Both J-35 models are notably smaller than China's existing stealth aircraft, the J-20 fighter, with around 200 units operational within the PLAAF.

The J-35A resembles the Lockheed Martin F-35, aiming to minimize radar visibility with its design. However, it remains unclear if the J-35 models include any special radar-absorbent features or advanced communication and radar systems.

China has historically faced difficulties in high-performance turbofan jet engine design, previously relying on Russian technology for early fighter models. The J-31 utilized Chinese-designed WS-13 engines, and analysts suggest the J-35A could feature the more advanced WS-19 engine, potentially 10% more powerful.

Engine technology plays a vital role in advanced fighters, influencing range, payload capacity, and speed.

Peter Layton, a defense and aviation analyst at the Griffith Asia Institute, commented, "Never too sure about much except the shape of the airframe from these air shows. The engines used are always a question."

Foreign military attaches and security analysts are carefully monitoring the J-35 variants as they are critical to Beijing's aircraft carrier ambitions. Although China's three aircraft carriers are still in training and development, a successful J-35 variant is anticipated to enhance the PLA Navy's ability to project power beyond Chinese waters in the near future.

The China International Aviation & Aerospace Exhibition runs in Zhuhai from Nov. 12-17.