China's V/STOL studies, concepts & considerations

Deino said:

Wow ... but again HOW!

AFAIK there is no F-35B missing in a way, the Chinese could have retrieved anything from remains ... and via data-theft is not exactly what you refer to as "physical, tangible parts."

IMO this is all very mysterious.

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Indeed.

What if the MSS have just been shipping spare/damaged parts off, slowly, one by one... /s

Ah yes, considering that for instance apparently that ALICE thing is a complete mess, who knows where scores of parts actually ended up. And what parts...

To clarify, the bidding document actually refers to the reverse engineering of key components for the gas generator/core engine of the integrated lift-thrust system. I believe this likely pertains to the F135-100 engine from the F-35C that crashed in the South China Sea in 2022.

一、研究内容（必要条件）：
（1）燃气发生器关键零件尺寸检测；
（2）燃气发生器关键零件材料理化检测分析；
（3）燃气发生器关键零件逆向工程设计；
（4）燃气发生器基准零件分解、清洗与交付。

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VTOL is useless ever since helcopter existed. Change my mind.

It was the Brits wasn't it? They've been illegally parking F35s all over the place. They left one in India and the Indians put it on ebay as a joke. At least I assumed they were joking.
Or some light fingered scrap thieves nicked the engine while the pilot was taking a dump.

TK3600 said:

VTOL is useless ever since helcopter existed. Change my mind.

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Maybe the Americans leaked it deliberately as a ploy to sabotage Chinese aviation development chasing a dumb VTOL fighter dream.