FACT CHECK: Does This Image Show A Secret ‘6th Generation Fighter Jet’?

An image shared on Facebook more than 100 times purportedly shows a secret American “6th Generation Fighter Jet.”

Facebook/Screenshot

Verdict: False

The image shows a 3D model created for entertainment purposes, not a secret U.S. military aircraft.

Fact Check:

The image shows what appears to be a sleek, futuristic fighter jet flying through the air. “Here’s America’s 6th Generation Fighter Jet Kept In Secret,” reads the image’s caption.

Through a reverse image search, however, Check Your Fact was able to determine the image is actually a 3D model of a fictional aircraft. The same image can be found on the website of Mark James Media, a company that offers “3D modeling for concept visualization,” where it is labeled as the “2015 ‘L Craft’ Future Fighter Concept Project.” The website includes several other images of the same aircraft, all part of the website’s “3D catalog.”

Mark James, the designer of the model, confirmed in an email to Check Your Fact that the Facebook post mislabeled his creation. (RELATED: Does This Image Show A Pakistani Jet Shot Down By Panshir Resistance Fighters?)

“My article, which begins on my site is very clearly a fun experiment with future ‘sci-fi’ vehicles, and is entirely tongue in cheek,” said James. “This person on Facebook used my image without my permission, and added their own description, which is false.”

The U.S. is currently working to develop its 6th-generation stealth fighter to eventually replace the Air Force’s F-22 and F-35 stealth fighters, according to Business Insider. Lockheed Martin, an American aerospace and defense corporation, has released concept art of what its version of the jet might look like that can be found here in an article from aero-mag.com.

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