The Shenyang J-15 is China’s carrier-based fighter jet. Several dozen units of the jet are currently in service.
J-15 fighter jet prepares to land on China’s first operational aircraft carrier, the Liaoning, during an exercise at sea. Contributor/AFP/Getty Images
Nicknamed the “Flying Shark,” the jet first entered service with the China’s People’s Liberation Naval Air Force in 2014. It was manufactured by the Shenyang Aircraft Corporation, a subsidiary of the state-owned defense conglomerate Aviation Industry Corporation of China.
Around 50 units of the jet are currently in service, according to a May 2021 report by The Diplomat. The J-15 is China’s first carrier-based fighter jet, meaning it was primarily designed for China’s growing fleet of aircraft carriers.
In December 2021, China unveiled an updated version of the jet that includes updates to the missile pylons, radar, wings, and infrared search and tracking system. According to the state-affiliated media outlet Global Times, the upgraded version of the J-15 could be capable of carrying a short-range combat missile.
These improvements prompted a Chinese military expert, speaking to China’s Global Times, to suggest that the fourth-generation J-15 could be considered a “fourth-generation plus” fighter jet.
Generation 4.5 military jets have active electronically scanned array radar, high-capacity data links and the ability to deploy advanced weapons, according to science and technology publication Phys.org, citing definitions from the US Defense Authorization Act of 2020. It it is unclear whether the J-15 meets these requirements.