Chinese state broadcaster CCTV published a report claiming the nation’s J-35 carrier-based fighter has a radar cross-section smaller than a human palm. If true, this would suggest a significant leap in stealth technology for the country.

The radar cross-section is a measure of how visible an object appears on radar, and the report indicated the J-35’s detectability falls in the range of 10 to 100 square centimeters. Although that report cannot be independently verified, it would place the fighter’s stealth characteristics in a similar category to Lockheed Martin’s F-35, though still slightly behind.

CCTV attributed the J-35’s low observability to its airframe design and what it described as proprietary metamaterial technology.

“In the electromagnetic world, this ‘steel giant’s’ radar cr

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