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Seong Hyeon Choi

China’s second fifth-generation fighter jet, the J-35, could find buyers in the Middle East as demand grows for advanced stealth aircraft in the region – though its capabilities remain unknown, according to analysts.
China, the United States and Russia are the only countries making fifth-generation fighter jets, and all three showcased their aircraft at last week’s Dubai Air Show.
A model of the J-35 – made by China National Aero-Technology Import & Export Corporation (Catic) and with a design similar to that of the American F-35 – was on display at the event.
Fifth-generation fighters typically feature stealth and supercruise capabilities – meaning they can cruise at supersonic speed without using their afterburners. They are also equipped with integrated avionics, internal weapons bays and advanced sensors.
In addition, their high manoeuvrability is combined with enhanced situational awareness, making them more effective in air-to-air and air-to-ground roles than older aircraft.


The J-35 was designed as a fighter jet for the Fujian aircraft carrier, which recently entered service, and was first made by Shenyang Aircraft Corporation. The model on show in Dubai was a land-based variant, the J-35A.
Unlike the J-20 – China’s first fifth-generation fighter jet, which is subject to an export ban – the J-35 has been offered to overseas buyers at trade shows in recent years.
It was also featured at the Paris Air Show in June and at the International Defence Exhibition and Conference in Abu Dhabi in February, where it made its debut outside China after being unveiled in Zhuhai in November last year.
Gareth Jennings, aviation editor at global military intelligence company Janes, said the J-35 could serve clients who were price sensitive and excluded from importing Western systems like the F-35 but did not want to align too closely with Russia.
He said potential buyers included those seeking fast delivery times and fewer political constraints on their purchases – factors that were “more pertinent” to the Middle East market.
“Its chief obstacle to export success is that it remains an unknown quantity in terms of capabilities, build quality, reliability, et cetera – true of Chinese military products in general, rather than just the J-35,” Jennings said.
“However, the recent reported good showing of Chinese-built products in the recent Indian-Pakistan clashes … will have certainly allayed most of those concerns.”
He was referring to Pakistan’s Chinese-made 4.5-generation J-10C fighter jet that shot down at least one of India’s French-made Rafale fighter jets near the disputed Kashmir region in May.

David Roberts, a reader in international security and Middle East studies at King’s College London, said the Gulf monarchies would be keen to acquire high-end technology from China given its already “small but significant” sales of ballistic missiles and armed drones to Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.
But he said there were still issues “preventing or at least hampering” China from selling weapons systems such as the J-35.
“These are complex machines that require a vast and decades-long training, logistical and procurement package – you can’t just plug and play them, switching as geopolitical whims change,” Roberts said.
He added that “China would not want one of its aircraft consistently flying around a region teeming with Western radar equipment”.
China is touting its J-35 jets in the Middle East at a time when there is growing demand for air superiority capabilities as tensions in the region escalate, including over Gaza where a fragile ceasefire is in place.
The UAE and Saudi Arabia have been actively looking to procure advanced fighters for their air forces, driving competition for defence exports to the region.
American defence contractor Lockheed Martin’s F-35 and Russia’s Su-57, manufactured by Sukhoi, were both on show at the event in Dubai last week.
Their appearance at the air display was followed by President Donald Trump’s announcement that he had approved the sale of F-35s to “great ally” Saudi Arabia, a day before Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s visit to the US.
The planned sale marks a departure from Washington’s previous limits on selling advanced stealth fighter jets to Middle Eastern countries.
However, it could still be rejected by a congressional review given that US law mandates Israel to maintain a qualitative military edge over its regional adversaries, and with close ties between China and Arab countries raising concerns in Washington over a potential technological security breach.
It comes as Riyadh continues to refuse to establish official ties with Tel Aviv under the Abraham Accords – a series of agreements brokered by Washington that has led to the normalisation of diplomatic relations between Israel and several Arab nations.
The F-35 is widely regarded as the world’s most advanced fighter jet. It has been exported to 12 countries and several others are awaiting delivery – all of them US allies. Israel currently operates 46 of the warplanes.
During his first term, Trump approved the sale of F-35 jets to the UAE after Abu Dhabi agreed to establish formal ties with Israel in 2020.
But the deal fell apart after Joe Biden took office in 2021, citing increasing military cooperation between the UAE and China that could risk a technology security breach involving one of America’s most advanced fighter jets.
According to Jennings, the sale of F-35s to Saudi Arabia, the UAE or anywhere else in the Middle East would depend on whether Israel could maintain an edge in the region on its military capabilities.
“It is worth noting that it was the UAE’s deepening ties with China and the risks this posed to F-35 security that eventually scuppered that deal,” he said.
“With Israel enjoying deepening relations with Saudi Arabia … its attitude towards a potential F-35 sale could be tied in with developing closer bilateral relations between the two countries.”




Liselotte Odgaard, a senior fellow at the Hudson Institute in Washington, said selling F-35s to important strategic partners such as the UAE and Saudi Arabia would be both “profitable for the US and also a means of establishing technological and logistical dependency” on the US and its allies.
“The administration may prioritise major arms deals as tools of diplomatic alignment and economic profit, and it would be in line with previous attempts at the UAE deal under the Abraham Accords framework. How the push for a Saudi deal plays out may be a good indicator,” she said.
“The most significant hurdle in the US Congress is the Saudi security and defence ties with China that put sensitive F-35 technology at risk if the deal goes through. Any deal would face significant congressional scrutiny for this reason.”
In contrast to the F-35 exports, Russia’s Su-57 has reportedly secured only one overseas buyer, with Algeria reportedly ordering eight of the fighter jets.
First flown in 2010 and introduced to the Russian military in 2020, the Su-57 is the country’s first fighter jet with full stealth capability and has reportedly been used in Russia’s war in Ukraine.
Its export variant, the Su-57E, was unveiled at the air show in Zhuhai last year.
But international sanctions on Russia following its invasion of Ukraine have brought supply chain constraints for its aerospace and defence industries, raising concerns over whether it can deliver the aircraft on schedule as well as provide maintenance, repair and overhaul in the future.
Roberts from King’s College London said the Gulf monarchies tended to find ways to demonstrate their “independence”, to show they were “not in the US’ pocket” – and inviting Russia to the Dubai Air Show was an “obvious example”.
“Pragmatically, they may also wish to encourage Russian engagement in the UAE too – some kind of a technology sharing approach has long been broadly mooted,” he said.
“It remains unlikely that they will acquire the Su-57, but doesn’t hurt to keep others – US, UK, France – on their toes.”
Odgaard said sanctions against Russia called into question whether it could provide reliable long-term upgrades and logistics support for the Su-57 and that the pace of production had been “slow and inconsistent for the past couple of years”.
She also noted that the Russian aircraft was not at the same level as the F-35 on stealth capabilities and avionics.


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China takes on US and Russia as it touts J-35 fighter jet in the Middle East

China’s fifth-generation fighter jet, the J-35, has been offered to overseas buyers in recent years. Photo: Handout

A US Air Force F-35 fighter jet performs in an aerial display during the Dubai Air Show in November.  Photo: EPA

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Models of China’s J-35A and J-10CE fighter jets on display at this year’s Dubai Air Show, which opened on Monday. Photo: Handout

An F-35 jet performs in the skies above the Dubai Air Show in the United Arab Emirates on Monday. Photo: Reuters

China displays latest UAV and fighter jets at the Middle East’s largest air show

The 2025 Dubai Air Show held at Al Maktoum International Airport runs from Monday to Friday. Photo: EPA

Catic’s booth at the Dubai Air Show features scale models of two Chinese fighter jets: the J-10CE and the J-35A. Photo: Handout

Trump says planning to sell F-35 fighter jets to Saudi Arabia

US Air Force F-35 jets at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar. Photo: US Air Force

US President Donald Trump and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman meeting in Riyadh in May. Photo: Reuters

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and an F-35 fighter jet in 2016. Photo: AP

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A full-scale model of a Chinese Wing Loong-X UAV is displayed on November 17, the opening day of the Dubai Airshow 2025. Photo: AFP

Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed al-Nahyan (centre), the president of the United Arab Emirates and the ruler of Abu Dhabi, meets an official from AVIC on the opening day of the Dubai Airshow on November 17. Photo: AP

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Chinese fifth-generation fighter could draw interest from those seeking fast delivery and fewer political constraints on their purchases


Chinese fifth-generation fighter could draw interest from those seeking fast delivery and fewer political constraints on their purchases.


China takes on US and Russia as it touts J-35 fighter jet in the Middle East

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Chinese fifth-generation fighter could draw interest from those seeking fast delivery and fewer political constraints on their purchases

Chinese fifth-generation fighter could draw interest from those seeking fast delivery and fewer political constraints on their purchases