China conducting final tests of Xian H-20 aircraft: What we know so far about the stealth bomber

 

Key Highlights

• Images depict an aircraft with a flying wing design designed to prioritise stealth over speed
• A South China Morning Post report has also speculated that the H-20 will have a payload capacity of 45 tonnes, markedly higher than the B-52H Stratofortress' 35 tonnes and the B-2 Spirit's 20 tonnes
• The H-20 is also not believed to be a successor to China's Xian H-6 which itself, was designed based on the Soviet Tu-16 heavy bomber

China is, reportedly, conducting final trials of its mysterious Xian H-20 strategic stealth bomber at its Hotan airbase, near eastern Ladakh. According to some sources, the H-20 bomber is seen as a crucial asset in tilting the balance of power in China's favour at the Sino-Indian border but it remains unclear when the aircraft will be fully operational. 

The trials, reportedly, commenced on June 8 and are expected to last until June 22 which, incidentally, also marks the 100th year of the ruling Communist Party of China (CPC). 

China has kept the details of the H-20 bomber under wraps so, in truth, not much is known about the aircraft. The first reports that China was developing a strategic bomber emerged in 2016, and others indicate that China plans to begin mass production of the aircraft in the mid-2020s. 

While it has yet to make a public appearance, the aircraft is reported to be a large subsonic stealth bomber resembling the US' B2-Spirit and the projected Russian PAK DA and the B-21 Raider. Earlier this year, Modern Weaponry – a magazine published by Chinese state-owned defence major Norinco – included four computer-generated images of the bomber.

Like previously released pictures (from unofficial sources), the images depict an aircraft with a flying wing design designed to prioritise stealth over speed. Observers speculate that the bomber's sleek design, enabling it to avoid radar detection, could increase its survivability inside Taiwan's air-defence network. The bomber may also be equipped with next-generation hypersonic cruise missiles. It is also speculated that the bomber will carry the indigenously produced WS-10 engine. 

What China intends for its H-20 bomber is still unknown. A South China Morning Post report has also speculated that the H-20 will have a payload capacity of 45 tonnes, markedly higher than the B-52H Stratofortress' 35 tonnes and the B-2 Spirit's 20 tonnes. The report quotes unnamed sources who claim the bomber will have a range of, at least, 12,000 kilometres which will, crucially, place Hawaii within its reach. If the bomber embarked on an Arctic route, all 50 US states would be within its flying range. 

V/D/C NEWS