Pakistan has announced that China has offered to sell new military equipment to the country, which includes 40 fifth-generation Shenyang J-35 stealth aircraft. This offer comes after a recent military conflict with India in May 2025.

On June 6, the Pakistani government shared on its official X account that along with the J-35 aircraft, Beijing has proposed providing Islamabad with the Shaanxi KJ-500 airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft, as well as the new Hong Qi-19 (HQ-19) surface-to-air missile (SAM) system.

The HQ-19 system was showcased for the first time at Air Show China in Zhuhai in November 2024.

The J-35 is based on Shenyang's fifth-generation FC-31 Gyrfalcon prototype, which had its maiden flight in October 2012. The production model of the J-35 was unveiled at Air Show China 2024, where the People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) described it as a 'medium-sized stealth multi-purpose fighter'.

While Pakistan's statement did not specify the exact version of the J-35 being offered by China, it is known that the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC) has developed two variants of the aircraft. One version is designed for catapult-assisted take-off but arrested recovery (CATOBAR) operations, while the other, J-35A, has different features such as smaller wings and a single nosewheel.