THE Chinese military says its latest stealth fighter jet will be shown to the public for the first time at an event in Zhuhai, Guangdong Province.

The J-35A will debut at the 15th China International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition, popularly known as the Zhuhai Airshow, set for Nov. 12-17 in the city.

J-35A is a medium-size stealth fighter with multiple roles. The new fifth-generation fighter jet is designed by the Shenyang Aircraft Design and Research Institute and will be primarily used for air combat. Military observers say they expect a variant to be deployed on aircraft carriers.

The series has a common root, called the FC-31, which is a technology-demonstration prototype of stealth fighter jet designed by the Shenyang institute.

The FC-31 was unveiled in October 2012 when the prototype made its maiden flight at the Zhuhai Airshow that year.

Currently, the People's Liberation Army Air Force has deployed a large fleet of J-20 heavy-duty stealth combat aircraft, which it began commissioning in late 2016.

The J-20 made its maiden public appearance at the 11th Zhuhai Airshow in November 2016.

With the addition of J-35A, China will be the second country after the United States to have two types of stealth fighters in service.

Russia is also set to display its Sukhoi Su-57 stealth fighter aircraft at the airshow, which means that fans will have the rare opportunity to view three models of stealth combat jets in a single show.(SD-Agencies)