China's J-35A stealth fighter is 'black box' despite splashy debut

It's widely known that China stole data to develop both their knock-offs; the J-20 and J-35. The J-20 looks a lot like the F-22 and the J-35 like the F-35. They didn't even bother changing the numbers for the latter. LOL!

How capable is it? Yet to be determined but there already questions if it's actually stealthy and how good the powerplant is. Chinese pilots also lack experience and nowhere near the amount of training that US pilots receive.

It is interesting to observe that the Chinese and the Russians seem to be relying on stealing tech from the West for their aircraft. Doesn't mean that they are not good planes.

Chinese pilots also lack experience and nowhere near the amount of training that US pilots receive.

Chinese pilots continue to fly under the radar.

...few details are public about the J-35's performance or stealthiness, military analysts say.

Granted, it is a stealth fighter.

 The J-20 looks a lot like the F-22 

Not even close. The J-20 has forward canards and a delta wing while the F-22 had conventional wing and elevons, and the J-20 lacks the rear and side aspect low observable features of the F-22.

It is interesting to observe that the Chinese and the Russians seem to be relying on stealing tech from the West for their aircraft. Doesn't mean that they are not good planes.

Shapes and coatings are now a small part of what makes a plane low observable. Because the F-35 was intended to be sold widely abroad one of the design briefs was that if an adversary was able to examine one in detail they would be bored by how normal it was. No big secrets in its airframe. Stealth now comes from software and only the US and UK get the full Monty during peace time. The computing power built into an F-35 is far beyond anything in any other aircraft. If you understand, say, how a Bose Wave Radio works, apply that concept to the RF spectrum. It is telling that the software labs for the US, UK and other foreign partners and FMS customers are all located in the US and operated exclusively by US citizens. The US is keeping that software a closely guarded secret. The US isn't even letting Israel have access to it.