In recent weeks, China and South Korea have both had their new fighter jets grab headlines. They are the Chinese J-35 medium-sized stealth fighter and the Korean KF-21 fighter. So which one is better? Let’s do some comparing here.
Now let’s go into details. South Korea's KF-21 fighter made its first flight around the time the first good resolution photo of the J-35 surfaced. They look similar in many ways, but there are major differences. We must acknowledge that there is very little information about the J-35, and the Koreans have already stated that the first KF-21 aircraft is not their ultimate goal.Still, we should start the discussion.
The first point I have mentioned is stealth capability. The Korean KF-21 is definitely not a stealth fighter. But to be fair, South Korean officials never claim stealth is their goal at this stage. In fact, they call the KF-21 a 4.5-generation fighter, not a 5th generation. Unlike the J-35, the KF-21 lacks such features as an internal weapons bay. All four missiles are exposed, and the exterior has a lot of parts that could generate a strong radar reflection signal. Many antennas and opening covers are not refined to reduce reflection. The J-35 clearly does have stealth features from head to toe.
It could be a wise idea that the Koreans don’t plan to make KF-21 a stealth fighter. The process would be extremely difficult and expensive and would directly compete with the US F-35 fighter, a move the US will never support.
Now let’s have a look at the second point I mentioned. Korean officials insisted that the KF-21 is a domestic technology fighter, but all key components are clearly from abroad, such as the American F414 engine, the radar, which heavily relies on Israeli Elta and Saab, and even the canopy. This is actually not a disadvantage because, unlike China, South Korea has few limitations on sourcing technology from the western world. Therefore, it is better that the Koreans rely on well-established overseas aviation companies in the KF-21 project.
It is debatable if the self-reliance of the Chinese fighter project will give an upper hand in a war or in weapon trade. Overall, it is better to have full control of all components of the project. Compared to this, the greater concern for the Chinese is actually political and diplomatic challenges if they want to sell the J-35 to another country. My opinion is that both China and Korea found the best option to design and build their medium-sized fighters. They are different countries and should approach the problem differently.
Thirdly, the J-35 project schedule is well ahead of the KF-21. The KF-21's first flight is about a year later than the J-35, but the Chinese medium-sized fighter has gone through the FC-31 demonstrator and the first generation fighter prototype development. However, this does not mean the Chinese will always take the lead in the future. The J-35 aims at winning the Chinese Navy contract to become the first Chinese aircraft carrier stealth fighter and the second in the world. That means the J-35 still has a long way to go to be fully tested and start carrier operations.
On the other hand, the KF-21 is less advanced but much easier to reach maturity. And as mentioned, the KF-21 has some advantages in the international market. One reason is that not many countries can afford a true stealth fighter with a very high price tag, while a 4.5 generation fighter would be ideal for them.
In my opinion, South Korea could be better off aiming at developing a stealth fighter that could first fly in the 2030s instead of rushing through a 4.5 generation fighter project. By then, the American F-35 project will have reached a mature stage, the US will be selling its sixth generation fighter, and the US will not object to the Korean offering a lower-end stealth fighter to replace the F-35s that have already flown for 20 years in western countries.
I have no doubt that, no matter what, the KF-21 is a major achievement for South Korea, just like the J-20 and the J-35 for the Chinese. But we should pay attention to the differences between the two, which help us to better understand the complicated matter of how modern fighter jets are developed.
Chinese Military News: [ Ссылка ]
China Air Force: [ Ссылка ]
Chinese space exploration: [ Ссылка ]
Photo and video: Wiki common, Yangshipin site, Yangshijunshi weibo, PLADaily weibo, Zhongguokongjun wechat, Loveswift weibo
