Maybe they are just trolling the Americans with this and give their intelligence people something to do.According to posts on Weibo, a F-22 alike object is found at Pucheng Neifu Airport, Shannxi on Google map.
View attachment 24922
Shenyang FC-31 / J-31 Fighter Demonstrator
- Thread starter RedSky
- Start date
plawolf
Lieutenant General
Maybe they are just trolling the Americans with this and give their intelligence people something to do.
Could be a movie prop I suppose.
Brumby
Major
I agree, I seriously question the military utility of such a mock up. I understand the tolerance on the real thing is only 1/3 of the width of a hair strand and having the form and not the substance is an exercise in futility. This is besides the materials involved in the RF deflection and absorption.
SinoSoldier
Colonel
There are only a few possibilities, ranked in order from most likely to least likely:
1. This is simply a mockup of an unrelated aircraft and has nothing to do with the FC-31 (or any military) project. We have seen similar mockups of AH-64 helicopters and F-117 fighters.
2. This is a mockup or wind tunnel test model for military-related research.
3. This is a life-sized mockup of the new FC-31 v2.0. This is highly unlikely due to the fact that it looks almost exactly like a F-22.
4. This is the actual FC-31 v2.0. If you believe this, you might as well write letters to Santa.
1. This is simply a mockup of an unrelated aircraft and has nothing to do with the FC-31 (or any military) project. We have seen similar mockups of AH-64 helicopters and F-117 fighters.
2. This is a mockup or wind tunnel test model for military-related research.
3. This is a life-sized mockup of the new FC-31 v2.0. This is highly unlikely due to the fact that it looks almost exactly like a F-22.
4. This is the actual FC-31 v2.0. If you believe this, you might as well write letters to Santa.
AssassinsMace
Lieutenant General
It does have similarities to the top views of these FC-31 models.
Yes, ... similarities, but all honour to Your enthusiasm, just consider where it is found and how much more similar it is - esp. in its details & dimensions - to a Raptor.
I would say it is even more likely a defector, who escaped from Japan or Korea (not sure were the latest Raptor deployment just was) but a new Chinese stealth fighter.
Deino
AssassinsMace
Lieutenant General
Yes, ... similarities, but all honour to Your enthusiasm, just consider where it is found and how much more similar it is - esp. in its details & dimensions - to a Raptor.
I would say it is even more likely a defector, who escaped from Japan or Korea (not sure were the latest Raptor deployment just was) but a new Chinese stealth fighter.
Deino
Never said it was real. It could still could be a mockup. It was reported that the new version was going to be larger than the original J-31 to accommodate PLAN requirements.
Could it be the J-18 STOVL?
This cgi first came out when people were still speculating about the J-xx, before it was even known that it'll be called the J-20.
Hehehe...IMHO, that's about as likely as it being Santa Claus's new sleigh.Could it be the J-18 STOVL?
SinoSoldier
Colonel
No wonder NORAD needs to track it.