China's new stealth fighter is based on US technology acquired by Chinese spies during the 1999 Kosovo War, according to Croatia's former military chief of staff.
China unveiled the Chengdu J-20 stealth fighter during a visit to Beijing by Robert Gates, the US defence secretary, this month. The timing of its maiden flight was regarded as a deliberate reminder by China of its growing military might, and caused alarm amongst its Asian neighbours.
Now, the Admiral who was Croatia's chief of staff during the Kosovo War has said he believes that China formulated the technology for its J-20 jet from an American F-117 Nighthawk stealth fighter that was shot down over Serbia in March 1999.
"At the time, our intelligence reports told of Chinese agents criss-crossing the region where the F-117 disintegrated, buying up parts of the plane from local farmers," Admiral Davor Domazet-Loso said. "We believe the Chinese used those materials to gain an insight into secret stealth technologies."
The Nighthawk was the world's first stealth fighter, planes that are almost invisible to radar and so able to operate over enemy territory with near impunity.US cannot accept China military power: state media
http://www.spacewar.com/reports/US_cannot_accept_China_military_power_state_media_999.html |
"Whether the reported new weapons are true or not, in the long run, China will own first-class weapons that are capable of competing with the US war machine," said the Global Times, known for its nationalist tone.
Gates arrives in China on Sunday to smooth over tense defence relations between the two countries -- one year after Beijing cut military ties with Washington in protest against US arms sales to rival Taiwan.
"Apparently, the US is not ready to treat China as a major power. They cannot accept the fact that China will sooner or later possess a first-class military," the editorial said.
"They are too used to the old power structure, in which China and other developing countries have long been treated unfairly."
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