A new set of images, believed to be a new upgraded prototype of the J-20, have gone viral on the internet. This new aircraft, dubbed the J-20B, is seen with a modified airframe and intriguing similarities with China’s carrier-based J-35 fighter jet, which is currently under development.

PLA watchers have been anticipating a brand-new variant of the J-20 stealth fighter for a while. However, the quality of the photographs is too weak to validate many of the changes made to the jet. Notably, this particular variant is not the same as the two-seater variant of the J-20, which is also often called the J-20B.

The aircraft has a yellow primer paint scheme frequently used on Chinese military aircraft before they are painted.

As revealed by PLA expert Andreas Rupprecht in a tweet, the nose of the aircraft likely sports the serial number 2051. Even though the aircraft’s location was not publicized, it appears to be the Chengdu Production Plant in Sichuan.

One of my contacts agreed, that the rear section behind the cockpit received some refinements similar to the J-35’s different spine and he noted, that this particular aircraft is prototype number “2051” 😮… but what’s then 2041 since the twin-seater is 2031/2032? 🤔

— @Rupprecht_A (@RupprechtDeino) December 23, 2022

Despite the viral photographs, it could not be officially verified that these pictures were original and reliable. It has been not uncommon for Chinese aircraft and other military systems to appear…