China’s Shenyang Aircraft Co. Reveals Plans For New Fifth Generation Stealth Fighter Program

China’s Shenyang Aircraft Company has revealed that it expects to make further breakthroughs on its new fifth generation stealth fighter program over the coming year, including improving additive manufacturing, control over surface electromagnetic defects and automated fiber placement among other related technologies. The company is one of the two largest producers of fighters in China, and currently produces the J-16 ‘4+ generation’ heavyweight fighter for the Air Force and the J-15, which is based on the same airframe, for the Navy. Other fighters it had produced which are currently in service include the J-11, the last of which were delivered in 2018, as well as the J-7 light fighter, J-8 II light interceptor and JJ-6 trainer. Shenyang also played an important role in the development of the H-6 bomber, the most widely used bomber in the world today which is currently in production, as well as the ARJ-21 civilian airliner. 

Shenyang has been developing a fifth generation fighter under the FC-31 program for some years, and a prototype of the aircraft made its first public flight in October 2012. State media reported in January 2021 that an improved version would see its first flight some time in 2021. While China’s People’s Liberation Army Air Force currently already fields a stealth fighter, the heavyweight J-20 developed by the Chengdu Aircraft Industry Group, the FC-31 could potentially be developed into a lighter and cheaper aircraft to serve in a complementary role. The FC-31’s development costs could potentially be much lower the those of the J-20 due to many of the necessary technologies already having been developed, making it a potentially low risk venture with minimal sunk costs.

With the J-20 expected to be restricted for domestic use only, Shenyang’s own fighter program could be aimed at export markets. There has also been speculation that the FC-31 could be developed into a naval fighter suitable for carrier operations, and could be integrated into the air wings of the Navy’s upcoming supercarriers two of which are currently under construction. The stealth fighters could potentially serve in a complementary role alongside the J-15B an J-15D fighters if this is seen through, in a similar way to how the U.S. Navy has fielded F-35C stealth fighters alongside its ‘4+ generation’ F-18E and E/A-18G non-stealth aircraft.