Xi’an
H-6
Notes: The H-6
began life as a straightforward copy of the Russian Tu-16 bomber, but was
quickly modified into essentially a new aircraft. The base H-6 was basically a
stock Tu-16, delivered to China starting in 1958.
Licensed construction began in late 1959, and continued until at least
November of 2020. The H-6 has been though several upgrading programs as well as
improved variants being built new. In addition to China (who still uses them),
the Egyptians used the H-6 until 2000, and the Iraqis used them until they were
destroyed by US bombing of their home base in 1991. The H-6 has seen combat
service in the Iran-Iraq War, where they were responsible for the sinking of 20
Iranian ships, carrying C-601 Silkworm missiles. Of late, H-6s have also
participated in incursions into the airspace of Taiwan, South Korea, Japan, and
the US, often accompanied by Russian Tu-95s and sometimes fighters.
A variant, the
H-6A, was used to drop nine Chinese nuclear bombs during the tests of weapons.
The H-6A, H-6E, and H-6N have modifications in the bomb bay to carry specific
nuclear bombs of their time period; the H-6N is the current nuclear bomber
version, modified to carry a CH-AS-X-13 air-launched ballistic missile (ALBM).
They will not be further covered here.
As stated, the
base H-6 is the same as the base Tu-16; some of them were in fact built in
Russia and delivered to China in the late 1950s. It is a conventional medium
bomber.
The H-6 has a large, swept wing and a large Mikulin AM-3 turbojet in each
wing root. Each engine is notably powerful and develops 19,200 pounds thrust,
and is over 5 meters long. The bomb
bay is long and able to carry 9 tons internally. The H-6C is the same aircraft
with an upgraded countermeasures capability. H-6Fs are upgraded H-6Cs with a new
navigation suite. They were initially designated the H-6III. (H-6As with the
upgraded navigation systems were also designated H-6F, but are very different in
the bomb bay.) The H-6K is the latest conventional bomber variant, equipped with
Soloviev D-30KP turbofans which are not just more powerful with 26,455 pounds
thrust each, but are more fuel efficient and can carry more of a weapons load.
Wing hardpoints have been added which may tote missiles or fuel tanks.
The H-6H is a cruise missile carrier, placing land-attack cruise missiles on the
wing hardpoints and with a larger nose carrying a long-range bombing/targeting
radar. The H-6M has four underwing hardpoints to carry its land attack cruise
missiles, and has a terrain-following radar. The bomb bay of these two is filled
with equipment for employment of the cruise missiles and cannot be used for
weapons. Neither of these variants
carries defensive armament. The H-6D is a maritime strike bomber, carrying
antiship cruise missiles, based on the H-6. The cruise missiles were at first
the C-601 Silkworm missiles, but later two C-301s or four C-101s were carried.
These are being further modified to carry four C-801 missiles. The H-6J is based
on the H-6K, and has the greater payload and range of the H-6K due to the
Soloviev D-30KP turbofan engines.
More specialized
variants include the H-6B long-range reconnaissance aircraft, the H-6
counterpart to the Tu-16R. The H-6G is an EW and C3 carrier, similar in concept
to the Tu-16P, but more updated in form. This aircraft’s mission is to provide
targeting data to cruise missile launchers and carriers. The HD-6 is a dedicated
EW aircraft, and it is possible that it is still in production.
|
Vehicle |
Price |
Fuel Type |
Load |
Veh Wt |
Crew |
Mnt |
Night Vision |
Radiological |
|
H-6 |
$97,983,236 |
JP4/5 |
9 tons |
75.8 tons |
6 |
47 |
Radar (75 km), Radar (Rear, 40 km) |
Shielded |
|
H-6B |
$140,967,562 |
JP4/5 |
2.72 tons |
74.19 tons |
6 |
50 |
Radar (75 km), Radar (Rear, 40 km) |
Shielded |
|
H-6C |
$87,220,817 |
JP4/5 |
9 tons |
75.8 tons |
6 |
47 |
Radar (75 km), Radar (Rear, 40 km) |
Shielded |
|
H-6D |
$87,220,817 |
JP4/5 |
5 tons |
71.8 tons |
6 |
46 |
Radar (75 km), Radar (Rear, 40 km) |
Shielded |
|
H-6F |
$72,337,435 |
JP4/5 |
9 tons |
75.8 tons |
6 |
48 |
Radar (75 km), Radar (Rear, 40 km) |
Shielded |
|
H-6G |
$74,215,401 |
JP4/5 |
1.5 tons |
72.6 tons |
6 |
50 |
Radar (75 km), Radar (Rear, 40 km) |
Shielded |
|
H-6H |
$65,018,933 |
JP4/5 |
5 tons |
71.8 tons |
6 |
49 |
Radar (75 km), Radar (Rear, 40 km), Attack Radar (50 km) |
Shielded |
|
H-6J |
$66,028,264 |
JP4/5 |
7 tons |
74 tons |
6 |
51 |
Radar (75 km), Radar (Rear, 40 km) |
Shielded |
|
H-6K |
$80,151,246 |
JP4/5 |
11 tons |
78 tons |
6 |
51 |
Radar (75 km), Radar (Rear, 40 km) |
Shielded |
|
H-6M |
$68,395,656 |
JP4/5 |
7 tons |
74 tons |
6 |
49 |
Radar (75 km), Radar (Rear, 40 km), Attack Radar (50 km) |
Shielded |
|
HD-6 |
$246,441,397 |
JP4/5 |
1 ton |
74.6 tons |
6 |
54 |
Radar (75 km), Radar (Rear, 40 km) |
Shielded |
|
Vehicle |
Tr Mov |
Com Mov |
Mnvr/Acc Agl/Turn |
Fuel Cap |
Fuel Cons |
Ceiling |
Armor |
|
H-6 |
2656 |
738 (120) |
NA 200
5/3 50/30 |
42400 |
11713 |
12800 |
FF7 CF7
RF7 T6
W7 |
|
H-6B |
2712 |
754 (120) |
NA 204
5/3 50/30 |
43800 |
11713 |
12800 |
FF7 CF7
RF7 T6
W7 |
|
H-6C |
2656 |
738 (120) |
NA 200
5/3 50/30 |
42400 |
11713 |
12800 |
FF7 CF7
RF7 T6
W7 |
|
H-6D |
2802 |
778 (120) |
NA 210
5/3 50/30 |
42400 |
11713 |
12800 |
FF7 CF7
RF7 T6
W7 |
|
H-6F |
2656 |
738 (120) |
NA 200
5/3 50/30 |
42400 |
11713 |
12800 |
FF7 CF7
RF7 T6
W7 |
|
H-6G |
2770 |
770 (120) |
NA 208
5/3 50/30 |
42400 |
11713 |
12800 |
FF7 CF7
RF7 T6
W7 |
|
H-6H |
2802 |
778 (120) |
NA 210
5/3 50/30 |
42400 |
11713 |
12800 |
FF7 CF7
RF7 T6
W7 |
|
H-6J |
4060 |
1128 (120) |
NA 305
5/3 50/30 |
42400 |
23666 |
12800 |
FF7 CF7
RF7 T6
W7 |
|
H-6K |
3853 |
1070 (120) |
NA 289
5/3 50/30 |
42400 |
23666 |
12800 |
FF7 CF7
RF7 T6
W7 |
|
H-6M |
4060 |
1128 (120) |
NA 305
5/3 50/30 |
42400 |
23666 |
12800 |
FF7 CF7
RF7 T6
W7 |
|
HD-6 |
4028 |
1119 (120) |
NA 302
5/3 50/30 |
42400 |
23666 |
12800 |
FF7 CF7
RF7 T6
W7 |
|
Vehicle |
Combat Equipment |
Minimum Landing/Takeoff Zone |
RF |
Armament |
Ammo |
|
H-6 |
All-Weather Flight, RWR, Flare/Chaff (80/80), ECM 2 |
1675/2045m Hardened Runway |
+2 |
2x23mm AM-23 Autocannons (Rear, Belly, Dorsal), AM-23 (Nose), Bomb Bay |
700x23mm |
|
H-6B |
All-Weather Flight, RWR, Flare/Chaff (80/80), ECM 2, Still Cameras (5;
20-120 km), Video Cameras (3; 10-120 km), Look-Down Radar, SAR (12 km) |
1675/2045m Hardened Runway |
+2 |
2x23mm AM-23 Autocannons (Rear, Belly, Dorsal), AM-23 (Nose), 2
Hardpoints |
700x23mm |
|
H-6C |
All-Weather Flight, RWR, Flare/Chaff (90/90), ECM 2, ECCM 1 |
1675/2045m Hardened Runway |
+2 |
2x23mm AM-23 Autocannons (Rear, Belly, Dorsal), AM-23 (Nose), Bomb Bay |
700x23mm |
|
H-6D |
All-Weather Flight, RWR, Flare/Chaff (90/90), ECM 2, ECCM 1 |
1675/2045m Hardened Runway |
+2 |
2x23mm AM-23 Autocannons (Rear, Belly, Dorsal), AM-23 (Nose), 2
Hardpoints |
700x23mm |
|
H-6F |
All-Weather Flight, RWR, Flare/Chaff (90/90), ECM 2, ECCM 1, GPS/INS |
1675/2045m Hardened Runway |
+2 |
2x23mm AM-23 Autocannons (Rear, Belly, Dorsal), AM-23 (Nose), Bomb Bay |
700x23mm |
|
H-6G |
All-Weather Flight, RWR, Flare/Chaff (90/90), ECM 2, IRCM 1, Radar
Detectors (100 km), Radio Detectors (100 km), ELINT 2, Recording Gear,
Still Camera (50 km), Video Camera (30 km) |
1675/2045m Hardened Runway |
+2 |
2x23mm AM-23 Autocannons (Rear, Belly, Dorsal), AM-23 (Nose), 2
Hardpoints |
700x23mm |
|
H-6H |
All-Weather Flight, RWR, Flare/Chaff (90/90), ECM 2, ECCM 1 |
1675/2045m Hardened Runway |
+2 |
2 Hardpoints |
None |
|
H-6J/M |
All-Weather Flight, RWR, Flare/Chaff (90/90), ECM 2, ECCM 1, GPS/INS,
TFR (30 km) |
1675/2045m Hardened Runway |
+2 |
4 Hardpoints |
None |
|
H-6K |
All-Weather Flight, RWR, Flare/Chaff (90/90), ECM 2, ECCM 1, GPS/INS,
TFR (30 km) |
1675/2045m Hardened Runway |
+2 |
2x23mm AM-23 Autocannons (Rear, Belly, Dorsal), AM-23 (Nose), 2
Hardpoints, Bomb Bay |
700x23mm |
|
HD-6 |
All-Weather Flight, RWR,
Flare/Chaff (100/90), ECM 3, IRCM 2, Deception Jamming (40 km), Chaff
Rockets (20), Corridor Chaff Pods (2), INS/GPS |
1675/2045m Hardened Runway |
+2 |
2x23mm AM-23 Autocannons (Rear, Belly, Dorsal), AM-23 (Nose), 4
Hardpoints |
700x23mm |
Xi’an
H-20
Notes: The H-20
(alternatively the H-X, denoting the fact that only protypes have been built and
it is in advanced field testing) is a subsonic stealth bomber.
It is not expected to be in service until about 2030.
The H-20 was developed in response to the USAF’s B-2 and upcoming B-21,
as well as a heavy bomber capable of stealth and having the range to range far
away from their bases – different sources state this range variously at 8000km,
8050 km, and 12,000 km. The H-20
will also be capable of aerial refueling, and has ejection seats.
The H-20 is a
flying-win design with flight computers to make more stable; the US DoD are
pretty sure the H-20 was built using stolen intelligence from the US B-2 and
B-21, but resembles the projected B-21 more than the B-2. Its primary role is to
attack US Carrier Task Forces, though bombing of Japan is also mentioned in its
possible targets. US intelligence
is skeptical that the Chinese could essentially build a B-2 near-clone in such a
short period of time, unless US manufacturers have spies in US manufacturing
companies of the B-2, the DoD, and the Pentagon, as well as hackers who targeted
the B-2.
The H-20 is
likely powered by WS-10 engines (which, it should be noted, the Chinese have not
yet been able to manufacture). The
H-20 has an AESA radar as well as a terrain-following radar, both of which are
like the B-2, whose radars are extremely difficult to detect when in use.
The Chinese also used parts of the design features of the US X-47B
stealth drone. (Indeed, the H-20
looks like an enlarged X-47B, with a combination of B-2 and B-21 features.) The
stealth features mimic those of the B-2 and B-21 in stealth design. The H-20 is
capable of using most air-to-ground munitions, from cruise missiles to
antishipping missiles to conventional ASM and bombs (both guided and unguided),
as well as nuclear weapons and nuclear-tipped missiles.
The H-20 has a rotary launcher similar to that of the B-2.
The crew consists of a Pilot, Co-Pilot, and a WSO/ECM Operator.
The H-20 is said
to be not as stealthy as the B-2 or B-21, or the X-47B for that matter.
The H-20 is essentially a long-range bomber in which the Chinese did not
completely successfully copy the B-2, B-21, or X-47B.
|
Price |
Fuel Type |
Load |
Veh Wt |
Crew |
Mnt |
Night Vision |
Radiological |
|
$616,775,320 |
JP6 Equivalent |
30.72 tons |
114.48 tons |
3 |
60 |
Radar (300 km), Rear Radar (150 km), 2nd Gen FLIR (30 km),
LIDAR (30 km) |
Shielded |
|
Tr Mov |
Com Mov |
Mnvr/Acc Agl/Turn |
Fuel Cap |
Fuel Cons |
Ceiling |
Armor |
|
2971 |
825 (60) |
NA 166
5/3 50/30 |
104726 |
30628 |
15250 |
HF5 CF5
FF4 T0 W7* |
|
Combat Equipment |
Minimum Landing/Takeoff Zone |
RF |
Armament |
Ammo |
|
All-Weather Flight, Flare/Chaff (50/40), ECM 2, IR, Stealth 5 IR Stealth
3, Deception Jamming (59 km), Laser Designator (20 km), Inertial
Navigation, GPS, RWR, Secure Radios, Satcom Radio, Target ID, TFR (30
km) |
1800/2200m Hardened Runway |
+4 |
2 Bomb Bays |
Nil |
*The
H-20 has no tail to target or become damaged, and all tail hits are considered
misses.