Pakistan announces Chinese J-35 aircraft offer

A Shenyang J-35A fifth-generation fighter aircraft conducts a flight over Zhuhai during Air Show China 2024 in November. (Janes/Sam Wise)

China has offered to sell new military equipment to Pakistan, including 40 fifth-generation Shenyang J-35 stealth aircraft, the government of Pakistan has said.

Islamabad's announcement of the possible acquisition follows the country's brief military conflict with India from 7 to 10 May 2025.

Writing on its official account on X (formerly Twitter) on 6 June, the Pakistani government said that in addition to the J-35 aircraft, Beijing has also offered to provide Islamabad with the Shaanxi KJ-500 airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft and the new Hong Qi-19 (HQ-19) surface-to-air missile (SAM) system.

The HQ-19 was first unveiled at Air Show China at Zhuhai in November 2024.

The J-35 is a development of Shenyang's fifth-generation FC-31 Gyrfalcon prototype. The FC-31 conducted its maiden flight in October 2012.

The production version of the J-35 was also first unveiled during Air Show China 2024. At the time, the People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) described the J-35 as a “medium-sized stealth multi-purpose fighter”.

Pakistan's statement did not specify which version of the J-35 China has offered for sale. Janes has previously reported that the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC) has developed two versions of the J-35.

One variant is equipped with an arrestor hook and a launch bar for catapult-assisted take-off but arrested recovery (CATOBAR) operations. This aircraft also has a heavier, two-wheel landing gear. The other version is the J-35A, which has smaller wings, a single nosewheel, and lacks the CATOBAR-related features.