China Unveils Upgraded J-31 Stealth Fighter

China has unveiled an ungraded version of the J-31 "Gyrfalcon" fighter jet, which possesses air combat capabilities to attack both land and sea targets.

The fifth-generation stealth multirole fighter, developed by the Shenyang Aircraft Corporation, is expected to be marketed internationally within the next five years, WantChinaTimes reported Monday. 

The new J-31 is a single-seat fighter with a redesigned tail. The twin engine fighter's aerodynamic and stealth capabilities have already surpassed most traditional fighter jets and will soon have an upgraded avionics system. It was recently displayed at the 16th China Aviation Expo in Beijing from Sept. 16-19.

The fighter's current Russian-made RD-93 engine is also expected to be upgraded with a new version of the Chinese-made WS-13 engine in the future.

The J-31 reaches a max speed of Mach 1.8 and a combat radius of 2,000 kilometres, besides the aircraft have been designed for high survivability, low vulnerability to radar detection and low infrared radiation.

The stealth fighter possesses excellent electronic countermeasures and has powerful target detection and external information gathering functionality. 

The J-31 is expected to complete test flights within the next five years and be promoted on the international market shortly thereafter. By 2024, China could market the J-31 as a replacement for the current JF-17 Block II multirole combat aircraft it jointly developed with Pakistan.

Moreover, the main selling point of the J-31 is its low price, which might even be cheaper than some third-generation fighters out on the market.