Chinese security expert affirms authenticity of leaked American F-35, F-15 documents

In recent days, the revelation of leaked technical documents purportedly detailing sensitive information about the F-35 fighter jet and other US military assets has sparked considerable interest and concern.

Recently disclosed documents, purported to contain technical details about the F-35 fighter jet and sensitive US weaponry, are believed to be genuine, according to a Chinese cybersecurity expert.

A user identifying himself as Ivan Ivanov, claiming to be a Russian pilot using the handle Fighterbomber on the encrypted messaging service Telegram, asserted receiving 250 gigabytes of US military data from an American company, Caliber.Az reports citing the foreign media.

On July 2, Fighterbomber shared some of these documents on their channel, which boasts over 500,000 subscribers, and continued to upload additional leaked data the following day. Some of these documents are still accessible for download.

"We have reviewed and analyzed the files, and much of the content appears to be highly authentic," stated Tang, the chief marketing officer of Rising Information Technology, a Beijing-based antivirus and network security firm.

The leaked files encompass manuals for the F-35 aircraft, along with documents concerning the F-15 and its variants, as well as information on the Switchblade drone and precision-guided missiles.

"The documents are detailed, and their format resembles other previously leaked US military information online. However, they do not consist of blueprints or design documents, and their actual significance can only be evaluated by experts," stated Tang, who preferred to be identified by his surname only.

The leaks have stirred discussion within the military enthusiast community and prompted jokes about the feasibility of constructing a fighter jet in a garage. Chinese aviation blogger Makayev categorized the leaks into three types. The first includes flight manuals, maintenance manuals, and aircrew weapon delivery manuals for the F-15SA, a version sold to Saudi Arabia over a decade ago. The second type comprises the engine maintenance manual for the F110 engine used in the F-15SA, while the third consists of user manuals for precision-guided missiles.

Makayev also expressed skepticism about the genuine value of the leaked files.

"The most comprehensive document is an 800-page flight manual from Boeing, last updated in 2018, covering various aircraft systems, pre-flight preparations, emergency procedures, and operational constraints," Makayev noted.

"However, these documents appear to be more introductory rather than detailed design descriptions, primarily intended for maintenance personnel rather than providing insights that could significantly benefit China's established military aviation sector," Makayev added.

With the Russian pilot claiming possession of 250 GB of data, other commentators speculated that additional maintenance manuals and weapon designs might still be released, potentially including information that could highlight vulnerabilities in the aircraft.