Could China’s unwanted FC-31 Gyrfalcon stealth fighter finally land a role in the navy?
- Plans to start testing a new fighter next year have raised speculation that the designer is trying to develop a warplane for the country’s new aircraft carriers
- Plane’s size and weight may make it a good candidate for adaptation for naval use after the air force declined to commission it
A Chinese aviation firm has said it hopes to start testing a new jet next year, prompting speculation that it may be working on a naval version of the FC-31.
The fifth-generation fighter, also known as the Gyrfalcon, has so far failed to attract buyers from the Chinese air force or foreign militaries, but defence analysts said it may be possible to adapt it for the new generation of Chinese carriers.
Social media posts by the Chinese Aeronautical Establishment, the research and development branch of the Aviation Industry Corporation of China, said its plans to develop a new fighter were still on track despite the impact of the Covid-19 outbreak.
“Judging by current progress, our work can be delivered on schedule and the test flight of the new type aircraft can be guaranteed without delay,” it said, without specifying the type of fighter it is developing.
This new type of jet is probably the naval version of FC-31, a fifth-generation stealth fighter, according to military analysts.
