India's Defense News recently published an article specifically discussing the development of China's J-35 stealth carrier-based fighter jet, and it even issued a rare warning. The report stated that once this aircraft matures and is deployed, it will completely change the strategic situation in the Indian Ocean. However, the Indian Navy currently has no effective means to cope with it.

The J-35 originates from the FC-31 "Huying" project, which is a twin-engine multi-role stealth fighter jet specially designed for the Chinese navy. Its service marks China's first true fifth-generation carrier-based fighter jet, capable of matching the U.S. Navy's F-35C, significantly narrowing the gap between the Chinese navy and the world's top navies.

Chinese official media recently confirmed that the J-35 has completed combat trials on the Liaoning and Shandong aircraft carriers, and is preparing for the more advanced and larger Fujian aircraft carrier. The electromagnetic catapult system on the Fujian is quite impressive, similar to the technology used on the U.S. Navy's "Ford"-class carriers. With this system, advanced fighters like the J-35 can be efficiently catapulted into the air, greatly enhancing the Chinese navy's long-range combat capabilities and power projection capabilities.

Compared to non-stealth carrier-based fighters, the J-35 has obvious advantages, including:

First, excellent stealth performance: its radar cross-section is much smaller than that of the F-35, greatly reducing the enemy's early warning time.

Second, ultra-advanced avionics equipment: the J-35 is equipped with an active electronically scanned array radar, like giving the plane super-sensitive "eyes," which can quickly detect targets; it also has an infrared search and track system, which can quietly lock onto enemies; plus powerful data links, allowing planes to quickly exchange information, working in perfect harmony.

It is equipped with the WS-13E engine, providing strong power, with a maximum speed of 1.8 Mach, as fast as lightning. Moreover, it can carry PL-15 beyond-visual-range air-to-air missiles, as well as precision ground attack weapons, allowing it to strike any target, which is very impressive.

India emphasized that China's goal is to have six aircraft carriers by 2035, with the J-35 becoming its core carrier-based fighter. This large-scale plan not only challenges the United States but directly threatens India — it is expected that China's aircraft carrier strike groups will appear in the Indian Ocean in 2025-2026, establishing an anti-access/area denial zone in the region considered India's core interest area.

Looking at India, the current operational "Vikramaditya" carrier and their self-made "Vikrant" carrier are both equipped with MiG-29K aircraft. The MiG-29K is inferior in many aspects, such as stealth capability, range, and the integration of various sensor information, all of which fall short of the J-35.

India purchased 26 "Rafale M" fighter jets from France, which is just a temporary solution, and the delivery of these aircraft will take another 3 to 4 years. Their own twin-engine carrier-based fighter jet project is still unclear, and it's uncertain when it will be successfully developed. Additionally, their domestically produced AMCA stealth fighter jet is being developed at a snail's pace, extremely slowly. Given the current situation, the technological gap with us could last for several more years.

The maturity of the J-35 also means that the export time of the J-35A is approaching, which further exacerbates India's strategic dilemma:

Indian media claimed that Pakistan has already decided to purchase 40 J-35s. Once equipped, India will face a decisive advantage of stealth fighters on both land and sea fronts.

In a conflict, Chinese and Pakistani stealth fighters may operate in coordination, greatly straining the Indian air defense system. The J-35 can use its stealth to penetrate enemy defenses, perform suppression of enemy air defenses missions, destroy Indian radar and missile positions, and open the way for subsequent attacks.

India's Defense News concluded with a strong warning: the J-35's deployment on Chinese aircraft carriers marks a dramatic change in the aerial and power projection landscape in the Indian Ocean and broader Indo-Pacific region. For India, the immediate priority is: accelerate the construction of the carrier aviation forces; invest heavily in domestic fighter jet projects; and completely reform the naval strategy doctrine.

The report finally stated bluntly that if India cannot achieve "strong modernization," its navy will be forced to yield to the "rapidly rising Chinese opponent" in the strategic game. The J-35 forces India to conduct an urgent and thorough reflection on its naval and air force modernization plans. Of course, the Indian navy currently has no technological advantages, and they are not qualified to be opponents of the J-35, which is the fundamental reason for the Indians' anxiety that cannot be cured.



Original: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7541680839524942351/

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