Chengdu J-20 pictures, analysis and speculation Part II

[kaiserbill]

with the first production units already flying/possibly entering initial/squadron service/testing.

Indeed ... they were handed over in late 2016 !

Thanks Deino...I am being forced to get my info from wider sources recently unfortunately.
Deino, are these in actual squadron usage already, or an Operational Conversion Unit? Is there a most recent indication of how many serial production machines there are?
Either way, as said, it is a mightily impressive pace.

 

[latenlazy]

It is notoriously difficult to prove the non- existence of things, be they security breaches, the F-19 or the Loch Ness monster.

You have conjecture. That's it. There may be something there. And maybe not.

Well the fact that there have been LARGE data breaches isn't "non-existent". I would be astonished if they collected all that information and then didn't bother to read it. That the J-20's initial canopy was damn near a carbon copy of the F-22's canopy, even down to some of the hardware, is not disputable. (Geometrically at least. Chemical composition can't be eye-balled.)

You do know countries conduct espionage for purposes other than reverse engineering right?

Really? We're comparing canopy shapes? Did you know the Su-27 and F-15 look like they have the same canopies too? There are only so many ways you can shape a canopy on a plane.

 

[overscan (PaulMM)]

Locked.

Just to be clear, sferrin left the forum briefly and rejoined in 2011, hence the join date, however he has been a member since the beginning.

Topic continued here with less speculation please :

http://www.secretprojects.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,28479.0.html