China’s J-35A Fighter Officially Revealed as “Yunlong”

China’s J-35A stealth fighter has been publicly identified by its official nickname“Yunlong,” or “Cloud Dragon,”adding a new name to one of the country’s most closely watched fifth-generation combat aircraft.

The name was reported as being disclosed during a recent episode of China Central Television’sNational Defense Open Class, bringing greater clarity to the naming of the land-based variant of the J-35 family. Chinese military aviation observers had previously associated the name “Yunlong” with the J-35A, but its public disclosure has now attracted renewed attention.

The designation also fits a broader naming pattern used for Chinese military aircraft. The J-20 is commonly associated with the nickname “Weilong” or “Mighty Dragon,” while the J-10 has been referred to as “Menglong,” or “Fierce Dragon.” The J-35A’s “Yunlong” name therefore places it within the same dragon-themed naming tradition used for land-based fighter aircraft.

From FC-31 to the J-35 Family

The J-35 family traces its origins to the FC-31 aircraft developed by Shenyang Aircraft Corporation.

The prototype first appeared publicly more than a decade ago, initially attracting attention as a potential export-oriented stealth fighter. Over time, the design evolved substantially as development shifted toward military applications.

The J-35A was publicly unveiled at the 2024 China International Aviation & Aerospace Exhibition in Zhuhai. Xinhua described it as a new-generation medium-sized stealth multirole fighter developed independently by China.

By September 2025, the aircraft had also appeared in a major military parade in Beijing. Xinhua described the J-35A as capable of performing air-superiority missions as well as ground- and maritime-strike missions, and as a component of China’s broader stealth and counter-stealth combat system.

“Yunlong” and “Blue Shark” Represent Different Roles

The J-35 family includes both land-based and carrier-based versions, and their nicknames are not necessarily identical.

Open-source reporting has associated the carrier-based J-35 with the nickname“Blue Shark,”while the land-based J-35A is associated with “Yunlong.” Aerospace Global News reported in April that Shenyang Aircraft Corporation had publicly identified the carrier-based J-35 as “Blue Shark.”

The distinction follows a broader naming convention attributed to China’s aviation industry, in which land-based fighters use “dragon” names while carrier-based fighters use “shark” names.

That makes “Yunlong” more than simply a nickname attached to the aircraft. It also helps distinguish the J-35A’s role within the wider J-35 family.

A New Stealth Fighter for the Chinese Air Force

The J-35A is significant because it represents a second major stealth-fighter type for China’s air force alongside the J-20.

Rather than replacing the J-20, the two aircraft are generally understood as serving complementary roles. The J-20 is a larger heavy stealth fighter, while the J-35A belongs to a smaller medium-sized class.

China has not publicly released a complete set of technical specifications for the J-35A, and many figures circulating online remain estimates rather than officially confirmed data.

What is publicly established is that the aircraft incorporates low-observable design features and is intended to perform multiple missions. Xinhua has specifically described it as capable of air combat as well as ground and maritime strike operations.

Why the Name Matters

Military aircraft nicknames can provide more than an easy way for the public to identify a platform.

In China’s case, the naming system increasingly creates a visible distinction between different categories of military aircraft. The “dragon” series is associated with land-based combat aircraft, while “shark” names have been used for naval fighters.

The emergence of “Yunlong” therefore places the J-35A within a recognizable family alongside aircraft such as the J-20 and J-10.

It also separates the land-based fighter from the carrier-oriented J-35, despite the two aircraft sharing a common development lineage.

Part of China’s Expanding Stealth Aircraft Fleet

The public identification of the J-35A comes as China continues to expand the number of stealth aircraft visible in its military aviation programs.

The J-20 entered service earlier and has undergone continuing development. The J-35 family adds another design focused on multirole operations, while China is also testing aircraft believed by outside analysts to represent a future generation of combat aviation.

However, the existence of multiple aircraft programs does not by itself establish their final operational roles or future production numbers.

For the J-35A, the clearest evidence comes from its public appearances and official descriptions. Its inclusion in the 2025 military parade and its earlier debut at the Zhuhai Airshow demonstrated that China regards the aircraft as an important component of its future air combat structure.

“Cloud Dragon” Enters the Public Record

The disclosure of “Yunlong” gives the J-35A a clearer identity after years of development under the FC-31 and J-35 family labels.

It also illustrates how China is gradually revealing more information about a fighter that was once largely known through prototypes and unofficial designations.

The aircraft’s official nickname may be only a small detail compared with its technology, weapons, sensors and operational capabilities. Nevertheless, “Yunlong” provides a clear public label for China’s land-based J-35A and marks another step in the aircraft’s transition from a development program into an identifiable part of the Chinese military aviation fleet.

For international observers, the next questions will be less about what the aircraft is called and more about how quickly it enters operational service, how extensively it is produced, and how it will be integrated with China’s broader network of fighters, airborne sensors, electronic warfare aircraft and other combat systems.