Pakistan Likely Allowed China Access to Secret U.S. Helicopter: Reports
Top secret stealth Blackhawk was downed during raid that killed Osama bin Laden.
Aug. 15, 2011 — -- The Pakistani intelligence service probably allowed the Chinese military to examine and even take home parts of the top secret stealth helicopter used in the U.S. Navy SEAL raid to take down Osama bin Laden, according to a pair of recently published news reports.
Shortly after the successful raid in early May, photographs emerged online of what appeared to be the remains of a never-before-seen stealth-modified version of a Blackhawk helicopter that, according to the White House, crash-landed during the operation after clipping one of the compound's walls. The SEALs the chopper was carrying attempted to destroy it after the crash -- first reportedly with hammers to destroy the helicopter's sensitive, cutting edge electronics systems -- and then with explosives, but a large portion of the tail section survived the blast.
READ: Top Secret Helicopter Program Revealed in Osama Bin Laden Raid, Experts Say
In the days following the raid, the U.S. had already asked the Pakistani government to return the helicopter's remains, but Pakistani officials, incensed that the U.S. had conducted a lethal operation deep in Pakistani territory without warning, hinted to ABC News then that they may let the Chinese take a peek at the classified bird first.
One U.S. official told ABC News at the time he did not know if the Pakistanis had made the offer to the Chinese, but said he would be "shocked" if the Chinese hadn't already been granted access to the wreckage.
READ: Pakistan Hints China Wants a Peek at Secret Helicopter
READ: Pakistan Returns Secret U.S. Helicopter Wreckage
In a report published hours later, The New York Times said China had "probably" examined the wreckage but cited American officials who said they "did not have definitive proof that the Chinese were allowed to visit Abbottabad."
A Pakistani military spokesperson told ABC News the assertion the Chinese were granted access to the wreckage was not true and called such reports "kite flying" by the media. Representatives for the White House and CIA declined to comment for this report.
The Mystery '$60 Million Helicopter'
Pakistan and China are known to have a close military relationship and when U.S.-Pakistani tension reached unprecedented highs after the raid, Pakistani officials took a highly publicized trip to Beijing for a major fighter jet deal in what some analysts said was a "snub" to Washington.
Richard Clarke, former counter-terrorism advisor to the White House and ABC News consultant, said in May that Pakistan is allowed access to advanced technology out of China and "Islamabad is always looking for ways to give China something in return."
Any advancements in stealth gleaned from the helicopters remains would have been a "much appreciated gift" to China, Clarke said.
Aviation experts said the unusual configuration of the rear rotor, the curious hub-cap like housing around it and the general shape of the bird are all clues the helicopter was highly modified to not only be quiet, but to have as small a radar signature as possible.
While the Chinese military has developed a stealth jet fighter, no stealth helicopters have been seen publicly.
In the wake of the raid and the highly-publicized mystery helicopter, the Department of Defense said it would "absolutely not" discuss the chopper, but President Obama told The Washington Post the U.S. lost a "$60 million helicopter" during the raid. While the price tag normal Blackhawks varies depending on the type, none cost more than $20 million, according to a Department of Defense procurement report.
ABC News' Nick Schifrin and Matthew Mosk and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
