Chinese J-35A Stealth Fighter Seen on Assembly Line; Has Mass Production Begun?

New images from a Chinese production facility have revealed what appear to be multiple J-35A stealth fighter airframes on an assembly line, raising questions about whether China has begun mass-producing its fifth-generation carrier-based aircraft.

The J-35A, previously known as the FC-31 Gyrfalcon, is designed for operations from China’s expanding fleet of aircraft carriers. The latest images, believed to be from the Shenyang Aircraft Corporation’s facility, show several nearly completed airframes, suggesting a potential ramp-up in production.

While Beijing has not issued an official confirmation, analysts say growing defense-industrial activity and modernization efforts point to the J-35A nearing fleet-level integration.

The J-35A’s reported emergence comes amid renewed regional tension after the India-Pakistan military confrontation in early May.

Indian claims of Chinese involvement

Indian Army Deputy Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Rahul Singh had earlier claimed that Pakistan received “live intelligence support” from China during the four-day May clashes. Singh described Pakistan as the “frontline” actor and alleged that China provided full backing.

Pakistan’s Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir dismissed Indian claims of Chinese support during the recent conflict, calling them “irresponsible and untrue.” Speaking at the National Defence University in Islamabad, Munir said Pakistan’s success in Operation Bunyanun Marsus stemmed from “indigenous capacity and institutional resilience.”

India launched missile strikes on Pakistani territory and the Pakistan-administered Azad Kashmir region on May 6, in response to an April 22 terror attack in the Pahalgam district of Jammu and Kashmir that left 26 dead.

A U.S.-brokered ceasefire was announced on May 10.

Is Pakistan buying J-35A?

In June 2025, Bloomberg and other outlets claimed Pakistan had agreed to buy the J-35A stealth fighter, developed by China’s Shenyang Aircraft Corporation — making it the aircraft’s first overseas buyer. Markets reacted fast: AVC Shenyang’s shares jumped 10%. Reports said Pakistan planned to buy 40 jets at a discounted “flash sale” price, with deliveries starting August 2025 and liberal payment terms included.

The J-35A, equipped with AESA radar and PL-17 long-range missiles, is often compared to the U.S. F-35.

But Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif denied any such deal. “I think it is only in the media. It is good for sale, Chinese defence sales, you know,” he said on TV, hinting the story was more about boosting China’s arms image.

Still, unnamed sources earlier claimed the Pakistan Air Force had approved the acquisition, and pilot training was already underway in China — part of a broader plan to counter India’s AMCA, which isn’t expected to be operational before 2035.

A broader signal from Beijing?

Although China has not responded to the Indian claims, the appearance of the J-35A on an assembly line may reflect its increasing focus on regional deterrence and power projection.

If confirmed, mass production of the J-35A would mark a major step in the expansion of China’s stealth aircraft capabilities, adding to the already-operational J-20 and bolstering naval aviation capacity for operations in contested areas like the South China Sea and Taiwan Strait.