Photos of russian Ka-52 helicopters painted in the livery of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) have recently been circulating online. While this could quickly lead to the assumption that deliveries under previously known agreements have finally begun, the situation may not be that simple.
Back in 2021, China reportedly ordered 36 carrier-based Ka-52K Katran helicopters from russia. Then, in March 2026, reports emerged about Chinese interest in acquiring the upgraded Ka-52M variant. However, the currently available photos contain several inconsistencies.
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In some of the images, a helicopter marked with the tail number LH96101 shows markings and insignia placed in different locations. That should be impossible, since it would be the same aircraft in active service.
Moreover, the Chinese military already operates a CAIC Z-10 helicopter with the same tail number. This strongly suggests that at least these specific images are very likely fake.
However, there is still one more photo showing a helicopter with a partially blurred serial number, where LH5854 can still be seen. The image is heavily censored and of poor quality, which makes identification much more difficult.
One argument supporting the idea that this image is also fake is the serial number itself, which does not match the known pattern that usually starts with LH9. This numbering scheme is commonly used by known Chinese Army Aviation brigades.
At the same time, it is worth remembering that the Ka-52K was intended for the Chinese Navy, where a different numbering system could theoretically be used. However, the helicopter shown still carries the LH prefix, which indicates Army Aviation rather than naval service.
With high probability, the currently circulating images are either well-made Photoshop work or were generated using artificial intelligence and then edited to improve credibility. As a result, there is still no solid evidence that deliveries of the Ka-52K under the 2021 agreement have actually begun.
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