A J-35 stealth fighter jet bearing the number “0001” was spotted taxiing out of a hangar in a recent CCTV News program. A Chinese military affairs expert was quoted as saying in the CCTV report on Friday that signs in the footage suggests this particular J-35 could be an export version of the J-35 series, making it a likely candidate for China’s next major export fighter.
According to the CCTV report, this was no ordinary equipment display. The aircraft lacked the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Air Force insignia, its paint scheme differed from the military’s standard version, but the highly visible “AVIC” (Aviation Industry Corporation of China) acronym printed on the nose was prominent.
The report noted that these details have captured viewers’ attention, raising questions about whether an official export version of the J-35A has been finalized and how this uniquely numbered stealth fighter might reshape the global airpower landscape.
The J-35A is the second type of fifth-generation stealth fighter jet independently developed by China, featuring the experience and the PLA Air Force’s feedback on the J-20, China’s first type of stealth fighter jet. The J-35A is designed with a balanced consideration of performance, reliability, maintainability and cost, Wang Ya’nan, editor-in-chief of Beijing-based Aerospace Knowledge magazine, told the Global Times.
Chinese military affairs expert Fu Qianshao said in the CCTV News report that this particular J-35 has certain differences from J-35A or J-35 aircraft previously shown to the public.
The aircraft’s nose landing gear strut is relatively slender and features a single wheel, suggesting it is a modified version of the air force’s J-35A, rather than the carrier-based variant of the navy. Additionally, its paint scheme differs from both current air force and navy colors, Fu said, per the CCTV report.
The aircraft’s coating is relatively simple â light gray overall â indicating it has clearly not been painted according to any specific customer’s requirements. The final paint job will ultimately depend on the needs of the buyer, said Fu, according to the report.
The carrier-based J-35 must withstand the enormous impact of landing, therefore it employs a stronger, dual-wheel nose landing gear equipped with catapult launch hooks. This J-35’s single-wheel design is evidently optimized for land-based runway operations. This structural feature, combined with the “raw” appearance of its unpainted final coating, further suggests it is not a service model but an aircraft in the final “pre-delivery” stage awaiting customer handover, the expert said, the CCTV report showed.
Fu said that beyond the landing gear and paint scheme serving as directional clues, this new J-35 bears the number “0001” – different from previous numbers – makes it easy to infer that it is very likely an export version. Considering that the J-35’s technology demonstrator, the FC-31, had its sights set on the export market since its early development stages, and now that this fighter has matured and been fielded by both the air force and navy, a new export version is likely to emerge, Fu said, per the CCTV report.
Meanwhile, the expert noted that PLA Air Force service aircraft never featured the AVIC logo, yet this J-35 not only bears the acronym but also taxied out of a hangar displaying the logo. All these details indicate that the J-35 series has fully achieved the capability for mass-produced export versions.
At the 10th Singapore Airshow in February 2026, the J-35A took center stage at the booth of AVIC. While the J-35A AVIC showcased on this occasion was a 1:2 scale model, the aircraft still emerged as a star exhibit of this year’s Singapore Airshow, drawing numerous visitors who stopped to view and discuss it.
As China’s independently developed fifth-generation stealth fighter, the J-35 series is likely to become a key export model in the next phase, Fu added.
