Photographs have allegedly emerged on the internet showing what is claimed to be a full-scale experimental prototype of the CE-25A electric passenger aircraft developed in China. The project, purportedly pursued by the state-owned corporation COMAC, is designed to carry up to 19 passengers over a distance of 400 to 500 kilometers. However, the authenticity of these circulating images remains entirely unconfirmed and subject to skepticism.

The newly surfaced visuals depict an aircraft painted in a red-and-black livery with a silver stripe running along the fuselage. The hull bears markings identifying it as COMAC and CE-25A, alongside the registration number B-0EFH. According to preliminary assumptions, these images were supposedly first published by a Chinese automotive blogger named Han Lu, casting further doubt on their official nature.

Reports claim that the images were analyzed using several artificial intelligence models which allegedly found no obvious signs of digital generation. Despite this, such examinations fail to provide an independent and reliable verification of the object's physical existence. To date, there is a total lack of open-source data confirming that the aircraft depicted in the photos has ever performed an actual flight.

The Chinese authorities via the COMAC corporation first showcased the CE-25A concept back in November 2023 at an import expo in Shanghai. Project specifications suggest a cruising speed of approximately 400 kilometers per hour and a range of up to 500 kilometers. Critics point out that these figures represent design targets rather than practically validated achievements.

The most unorthodox feature of the CE-25A is its distributed electric propulsion system, which replaces traditional turboprop engines with 10 electric fans housed in annular ducts integrated into the wings. While this engineering approach supposedly offers theoretical aerodynamic advantages, it also entails profound technical hurdles and unresolved developmental challenges.

Source: kun.uz