The J-16 is a tandem-seat, twinjet, all-weather, multirole strike fighter designed and manufactured by Shenyang Aircraft Corporation, China. This is a multi-role highly maneuverable variant based on the J-11BS with longer range and upgraded avionics, a concept equivalent to Sukhoi Su-30. The J-16 has a slightly different vertical stabilizer compared to J-11 fighter or J-15 naval fighter. It is also equipped with missile pylons for Chinese PL-10 air-to-air missiles, another difference compared to earlier J-11B variants.

According to media reports, China developed the J-16 fighter based on the Shenyang J-11BS airframe, with modifications from the Russian Sukhoi Su-30MKK that was sold to China in 2000.

The J-16 is able to carry a full range of indigenous Chinese equipment including super and subsonic anti-ship missiles, air to air missiles, satellite guided bombs, cruise missiles and electronic countermeasure (ECM) jammers. It has been speculated that the J-16's WS-10 engines lack sufficient power for the aircraft, given their design faults and the greater weight of the airframe compared to other Chinese Su-27 variants, and that an engine upgrade will be needed to allow the new plane to meet its design potential.

As of April 2014, the PLAAF has taken delivery of a regiment of J-16s.