Overview

• CCTV and allied outlets report the J-35’s radar cross section is smaller than a human palm, described by one analyst as roughly sparrow-sized.
• The PLAN says the Type 003 carrier Fujian conducted electromagnetic catapult launches and arrested landings with the J-35 alongside the J-15T and KJ-600.
• State media attribute low observability to airframe shaping and domestically developed metamaterial coatings, citing twin homegrown engines and a maximum takeoff weight near 30 tons.
• Designers emphasize a modular program that reuses sensors and avionics across variants, with the naval model derived from the FC-31 and featuring folding wings and internal weapon bays.
• International reporting notes the fighter remains a “black box” to outside analysts, who caution that performance claims lack independent testing and roughly estimate an RCS on the order of 10–100 square centimeters.