Export Ambitions of the J-35A: Can China's Fifth-Generation Fighter Break into the International Market?

In February 2026, at the Singapore Airshow, China Aviation Technology Import and Export Corporation showcased a half-scale model of the J-35A fighter jet, marking the official launch of the international promotion of this fifth-generation stealth fighter by the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC). As China's second fifth-generation aircraft following the J-20, the export prospects of the J-35A have become a focal point for international military observers. This not only relates to the international competitiveness of China's military-industrial sector but will also profoundly impact the air power balance in the Asia-Pacific region.

The J-35A, developed by the Shenyang Aircraft Corporation under AVIC over more than a decade, officially joined the People's Liberation Army Air Force in 2025. The aircraft made its public debut during a major parade commemorating the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, attracting widespread attention from the international community. Unlike the J-20, which is not available for export, the J-35A was designed from the outset as an exportable model, making it an important strategic product for China's military-industrial sector as it seeks to enter the international market.

In recent years, China has actively showcased the J-35 model at major international defense exhibitions such as the Paris Air Show and the Dubai Airshow, attempting to attract overseas buyers. This ongoing market promotion reflects Beijing's ambitions in the global arms market. However, facing the mature competitor of Lockheed Martin's F-35, the market prospects for the J-35A are filled with challenges.

Liselotte Odgaard, a senior researcher at the Hudson Institute, pointed out that the J-35A is attractive to countries seeking to reduce their dependence on Western supply chains. The aircraft is equipped with advanced avionics, stealth features, and may offer more flexible financing options. However, compared to the F-35, the J-35A has significant disadvantages in interoperability. The F-35 benefits from a mature Western weapons ecosystem, allowing seamless integration with the intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance platforms of U.S. allies, as well as joint command and control networks—an advantage that the J-35A is unlikely to achieve in the short term.

Timothy Heath, a senior defense researcher at the RAND Corporation, believes that China has narrowed the gap with the United States in the development of fifth-generation fighters. The J-35A may have advantages in speed and maneuverability, but the F-35 is designed for long-range operations and interoperability with allies and partner nations. This difference in design philosophy reflects the distinct operational theories and strategic needs of China and the United States.

Currently, several U.S. allies in the Asia-Pacific region are already equipped with the F-35, including Australia, Japan, Singapore, and South Korea. Notably, Japan has recently incorporated the F-35B short takeoff and vertical landing variant into its fleet, which can take off from naval vessels, significantly enhancing Tokyo's tactical flexibility in the increasingly tense situation with Beijing. This trend further compresses the market space for the J-35A in the region.

Ben Nimett, a senior lecturer in defense studies at King's College London and executive director of the Defense Economics and Management Research Center, told the South China Morning Post that the J-35A may attract countries that cannot access the F-35, wish to reduce dependence on the U.S., or cannot afford the full lifecycle costs of the F-35. China's advantages may include more flexible financing arrangements and looser political conditions, while disadvantages may involve insufficient maturity in software upgrades and support systems.

Nimett emphasized that in the Asia-Pacific region, the export of fifth-generation fighters is primarily shaped by alliance politics rather than purely market forces, making the F-35 the default choice for U.S. allies and close partners. This observation reveals a fundamental challenge facing the J-35A: in a market dominated by political alliances, technological performance and price advantages may not be sufficient to break through.

Although the J-35A possesses considerable technical capabilities, it may struggle to attract some Southeast Asian countries. These nations often opt for cheaper alternatives, such as the South Korean FA-50 used by the Philippines or the Swedish JAS 39 Gripen fighter jet equipped by Thailand. Analysts also point out that South Korea's KF-21 fighter jet, which features stealth capabilities and plans for fifth-generation upgrades, may further limit the J-35A's export prospects in the region.

The existence of the KF-21 project is particularly noteworthy. As a quasi-fifth-generation aircraft developed independently by South Korea, the KF-21 has not yet fully met fifth-generation standards but has significant upgrade potential. More importantly, South Korea's success in the international arms market, such as Poland's large-scale procurement, demonstrates its appeal as a "third choice"—not fully reliant on the U.S. and not turning to China or Russia. This model could erode the potential market for the J-35A.

From a strategic perspective, the export promotion of the J-35A reflects a deeper intention of transforming China's military-industrial sector. For a long time, China's arms exports have primarily focused on the mid-to-low end of the market, with price competitiveness as the main selling point. The J-35A represents China's effort to enter the high-end arms market, which is not only a commercial consideration but also a means to enhance national soft power and strategic influence.

However, successful arms exports require not only robust product performance but also a comprehensive after-sales support system, ongoing technical upgrade capabilities, and stable political relationships. In these areas, China still needs time to accumulate experience. Although the F-35 program has faced criticism, it is backed by decades of accumulated global military cooperation networks and technical support systems in the U.S., which China is unlikely to replicate in the short term.

It is noteworthy that the potential customer base for the J-35A may be concentrated among countries with strained relations with the West or those seeking diversified sources of weapons. Pakistan, Iran, some African nations, and certain Middle Eastern countries may become target markets. These countries may either be unable to obtain U.S. weapons for political reasons or wish to maintain a balance between China and the U.S. However, even in these markets, the J-35A faces competition from products like the Russian Su-57.

Technical considerations are also crucial. While the J-35A is equipped with advanced active electronically scanned array radar, stealth coatings, and modern avionics systems, its combat performance has not been fully validated. In contrast, the F-35 has accumulated combat experience in multiple theaters, and this real-world validation is highly persuasive for potential buyers. Additionally, engine technology has long been a shortcoming of China's aviation industry; although significant progress has been made in recent years, there remains a gap in reliability and lifespan compared to advanced Western engines.

From a cost perspective, although the unit procurement price of the F-35 is high (around $80 million to $100 million), its total lifecycle cost is astronomical. This presents a potential competitive advantage for the J-35A—if China can offer a more economical total lifecycle support plan, including training, maintenance, and upgrade services, it may attract budget-constrained countries. However, this requires China to establish a global technical support network, which itself is a significant investment.

Looking ahead, the export prospects for the J-35A will depend on the interplay of multiple factors: the evolution of the international political landscape, bilateral relations between China and potential customer countries, real-world validation of product performance, establishment of after-sales support systems, and differentiated positioning against competing products like the F-35 and KF-21. In the short term, the J-35A may struggle to achieve significant breakthroughs in mainstream markets, but there remains some development space in specific niche markets and among strategic partner countries.

On a deeper level, the export attempts of the J-35A represent an important milestone in the globalization of China's military-industrial sector. Regardless of short-term sales performance, this process itself will drive comprehensive improvements in China's technological research and development, quality control, international marketing, and after-sales service. The accumulation of these capabilities holds strategic value that transcends mere commercial gains for China's long-term defense industrial development and global influence expansion.