China. The latest fighters from Russia and China shown for the first time at the shows in Zhuhai

The international air show in Zhuhai, China, attracts more and more attention from all over the world every year. For Beijing, this is the best opportunity to present the achievements of its civil and military aviation industry to a wide audience. This year, the shows will take place on November 12-17, and over a thousand companies from a total of 47 countries and regions will take part.

However, Chinese machines traditionally enjoy the greatest interest in Zhuhai. Among them, the newest Chinese fifth-generation fighter – Shenyang J-35A – will be officially presented for the first time. On Friday, the fighter, unofficially, took to the air for the first time in public and performed a short training flight.

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The J-35A is the second Chinese model of the fifth generation fighter, initially a private project of the aviation manufacturer SAC designated as FC-31 Białozór, and after the project was taken over by the Chinese army, first named J-31 and finally J-35A. China thus they became the only one next door USA a country that has two models of this generation of fighters at the same time – the first is the larger J-20, several hundred of which are already in service in the Chinese air force.

The J-35A is a single-seat, twin-engine fighter with reduced radar detection (stealth technology), designed primarily to gain air superiority and conduct precision strikes against land targets. Its development, now in its second decade, is closely followed by analysts from all over the world. It is intended to be not only a manifestation of the modernity of Chinese aviation, but also a response to the American fifth-generation F-35 Lightning II fighters. The Chinese machine is also to have a variant capable of operating from aircraft carriers.

The J-35A appears visually similar to the American F-35, which has for years led to accusations against Beijing of stealing and copying plans for American fighters, but experts point out that the similarity of the two machines is not that striking. The Chinese J-35A is primarily longer and equipped with two engines – one in the American F-35. Moreover, the actual capabilities of fifth-generation fighters are determined by technology that is invisible from the outside.

While preparing for the Zhuhai air show for the first time outside Russia The most modern Russian fighter – Su-57 – was also publicly shown. This machine performed a 7-minute practice flight on Thursday evening. It was also the first time in history when a fifth-generation fighter from another country landed on Chinese soil.

The Su-57 is a single-seat, twin-engine heavy fighter designed for air combat and strikes against land and sea targets. The machine, introduced into service in 2020, was supposed to be Russia's answer to the first fifth-generation fighters in the world – the American F-22 Raptor. So far, the Su-57 has been produced in several dozen copies, some of which are only for testing purposes. In June, the Ukrainian side claimed that it had managed to damage two such fighters, and that the Russians have less than 10 operational Su-57s.

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What does it mean that a fighter is called a fifth-generation machine? In short, having reduced detection (stealth technology) and advanced electronics. Both of these features are crucial on the modern battlefield.

The first of them means that the plane will be detected much later – if at all – by enemy radar systems. Thus, he will not only be able to fly unnoticed into the space controlled by the enemy, but above all he will have more time to complete his combat mission and return safely to the base before the enemy reacts. The lower the detection rate, the greater the effectiveness and the so-called survivability of the machine. For this purpose, machines of this generation include, among others: they have a shape that helps absorb radar waves, are covered with special coatings, and their weapons are hidden in the hull.

The second characteristic feature of fifth-generation fighters is advanced electronic equipment that automates many processes and multiplies the aircraft's capabilities. This electronics not only ensures that the pilot can focus more on the mission goal and not on operating on-board equipment. First of all, it also gives the pilot incomparably more information about everything that is happening around, giving him an advantage in situational awareness and the ability to cooperate with allied forces.

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