When asked about Chinese espionage, a senior U.S. weapons developer once said bluntly that “the Chinese are practically sitting on the shoulders of American engineers,” observing everything they do.
While lacking solid proof, he claimed the pattern of Chinese development suggests early access to American designs—often before a prototype even takes shape.
President Donald Trump echoed those concerns during a recent meeting with business leaders in Doha, Qatar, accusing China of stealing the design of the U.S. Air Force’s F-22 Raptor stealth fighter. “They copied our design,” Trump said, “but they can’t copy our engines.”
Trump went further, announcing that the U.S. will develop a new, significantly upgraded version of the aircraft, which he called the “F-22 Super.” He described the original Raptor as “the most beautiful fighter jet in the world,” and said the modernized model will be “a superior, very modern version.”