Shenyang City, Liaoning Province, northeast China - Jan 6, 2026 (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
1. J-35 stealth fighter taking off

FILE: Shenyang City, Liaoning Province, northeast China - 2025 (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
2. Various of J-35 fighter at workshop

China - Recent (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
3. SOUNDBITE (Chinese) Wei Dongxu, military observer (starting with shot 2/ending with shots 4):
"At the beginning of 2026, the green-colored J-35 soared to the sky, signifying new achievements by our aviation industry in stealth fighter production. Why is the J-35 coated green? Because the green-coated J-35 we see should be in a state of test flight and is yet to be delivered to the army."

China - Recent (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
4. Picture showing green J-35 fighters at test runway, engineers

FILE: At Sea - 2025 (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
5. Various of J-35 taking off from aircraft carrier
6. Various of J-35 in air, pilot

Shenyang City, Liaoning Province, northeast China - Jan 6, 2026 (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
7. J-35 in air

China - Recent (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
8. SOUNDBITE (Chinese) Sun Cong, academician, Chinese Academy of Engineering (starting with shot 7/ending with shot 9):
"The J-35's defining feature is its stealth capability. From the outset of its design, the primary objective is low detectability, minimizing the risk of early detection by adversaries. The goal is to discover and strike the enemies first. That means a decisive advantage in battle."

FILE: In Air - Date Unknown (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
9. Various of J-35 fighters in air, pilot

FILE: At Sea - Date Unknown (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
10. Aerial shot of aircraft carrier
11. J-35 preparing to take off from aircraft carrier

China's J-35 carrier-based stealth fighter soared to the sky in its first flight of the New Year from the test runway of Shenyang Aircraft Corporation in the provincial capital of Liaoning in the northeast on Tuesday.

This fighter, coated in a green primer, is currently in the factory flight-testing phase and will undergo final painting at a later stage.

The J-35 is China's new-generation multirole stealth fighter capable of both air superiority and strike missions against ground and maritime targets.

Unlike its previous appearances on the September 3 military parade and catapult takeoff on the Fujian aircraft carrier where it dazzled in full gray livery, this J-35 revealed its most primitive and unadorned state.

"At the beginning of 2026, the green-colored J-35 soared to the sky, signifying new achievements by our aviation industry in stealth fighter production. Why is the J-35 coated green? Because the green-coated J-35 we see should be in a state of test flight and is yet to be delivered to the army," said Wei Dongxu, a military observer.

The J-35 fighter represents China's most advanced stealth carrier-based aircraft to date. It is designed for the navy, while the J-35A, for the air force.

A key nuance between them lies in the wings. The naval variant employs folding wings specifically designed to save space on aircraft carriers.

Sun Cong, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, said the stealth fighter boasts powerful fighting capabilities.

"The J-35's defining feature is its stealth capability. From the outset of its design, the primary objective is low detectability, minimizing the risk of early detection by adversaries. The goal is to discover and strike the enemies first. That means a decisive advantage in battle," he said.