AVIC shocked spectators as the state-owned defense contractor declassified specific details regarding the J-31. (Photo : Global Times)
China's Aviation Industry Corporation (AVIC) revealed the technical specifications of the J-31 Gyrfalcon during the four-day Aviation Expo China 2015 despite a lack of flight testing, according to a report by China Daily.
The expo is a biennial event held in Beijing every mid-September.
AVIC shocked spectators as the state-owned defense contractor declassified specific details regarding the J-31. The company initially held back the disclosure until they entered mass production phase and eventually began exporting.
According to experts and observers, AVIC's bold move indicates a strategy to attract potential foreign buyers and entice them to learn more about the plane's various capabilities ahead of other interested parties.
This is also largely seen as a way to secure contracts early on after the jet becomes fully operational.
"The earlier the buyers know about the J-31's capabilities, the higher chance AVIC has of taking up a good share of the fifth-generation aircraft market," said a source close to AVIC.
"Once the company receives buyers' payments, it can use these to sustain the production line and continue to upgrade the aircraft to win more customers."
For Chen Hu, a military expert affiliated with the People's Liberation Army (PLA), exporting the J-31 would be considered a major milestone in China's aviation industry. A successful sale of the jet is expected to boost AVIC's competitiveness against Western defense contractors.
The relatively modest price of a fifth-generation stealth aircraft could also be a potential appeal for developing countries looking to improve their defense capabilities, according to Xu Bangnian, a professor at the PLA Air Force Command Institute.
The only other similarly designed jet available is the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II from the United States and it is only available for U.S. allies.
