China Urged to Upgrade Carriers for J-35 Stealth Fighters Amid Japan Threat

China is facing a heightened threat from Japan's military advancements, particularly its deployment of long-range anti-ship missiles and F-35 fighter jets in areas near Taiwan. Chinese military experts are calling for urgent upgrades to the nation's aircraft carriers to accommodate the J-35 stealth fighter, aiming to bolster combat capabilities against Japan's expanding defense power. Tensions have escalated following remarks by Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida regarding Taiwan, prompting a rare sortie by China's aircraft carrier Liaoning into waters east of Japan last December. In response, Japan scrambled over a dozen F-2 fighter jets armed with anti-ship missiles, an action widely interpreted as a "saturation attack" drill targeting the Chinese carrier group. Fu Qianxiao, a military expert and former Chinese naval officer, emphasized the strategic seriousness of such exercises, stating, "So many fighter jets and anti-ship missiles conducting saturation attack and penetration drills against our carrier group undoubtedly pose a serious threat. In such a situation, no country can guarantee its defense system is completely foolproof."

Japan is bolstering its defenses by deploying upgraded Type 12 land-based anti-ship missiles near the East China Sea, potentially extending its strike range to cover most of the region and placing Chinese coastal cities within reach. Song Zhongping, a Hong Kong-based military commentator, warned that Japan's upgraded Type 12 missiles would present a greater challenge to Chinese aircraft carriers in a conflict. He added, "If these fighter jets launch a large-scale saturation attack, coupled with the penetration capabilities of numerous stealth fighter jets, it will put considerable pressure on the defense systems of the Chinese fleet."

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So many fighter jets and anti-ship missiles conducting saturation attack and penetration drills against our carrier group undoubtedly pose a serious threat. In such a situation, no country can guarantee its defense system is completely foolproof.

Further complicating the threat landscape is Japan's potential development of an air-launched version of the Type 12 anti-ship missile, which would possess superior speed and guidance capabilities compared to existing systems. An article in "Aviation Knowledge" magazine highlighted similar concerns, identifying Japan's future backbone as F-2 fighters equipped with long-range anti-ship missiles exceeding 500 kilometers. The article suggests that Japan's F-35A fighter squadrons, capable of carrying both air-to-air and anti-ship missiles, could penetrate China's fleet defenses ranging from 180 to 550 kilometers if equipped with stealthy Joint Strike Missiles (JSM). Once the F-35A breaks through, F-2 fighter groups would follow up with concentrated attacks using various anti-ship missiles.

Among China's three active aircraft carriers, only the most advanced Fujian, equipped with an electromagnetic catapult system, can launch the J-35 fifth-generation stealth fighter. The older Liaoning and Shandong carriers use ski-jump decks for their J-15 fighters. However, there are indications that these carriers are undergoing upgrades to accommodate the J-35. State media reported that the Liaoning carrier group has been testing "new operational capabilities" in the Western Pacific since late May, and satellite imagery suggests the Shandong is also being modified for the J-35. Fu Qianxiao pointed out that a potential gap for China's carrier strike groups is the limited number of stealth fighters, which may be insufficient against multi-axis attacks from numerous enemy stealth aircraft. He anticipates future upgrades to Chinese carriers to deploy the J-35, significantly increasing the number of stealth fighters and enhancing the tiered attack and defense capabilities of the fleet.

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If these fighter jets launch a large-scale saturation attack, coupled with the penetration capabilities of numerous stealth fighter jets, it will put considerable pressure on the defense systems of the Chinese fleet.