The new stealth bomber China is almost ready to go on stage.
This is the Xian H-20, which could have a design similar to that of the Northrop Grumman B-2 Spirit of the United States and that according to sources close to the project could make its first public appearance next November at the Zhuhai Airshow.
Those plans depend heavily on how controlled the coronavirus pandemic was by then.
The bomber stands out not only for its nuclear capability or stealth capability, but for its estimated range, which stands at 8,000 km and would double that of its current nuclear bomber, the H-6K.
The Xian H-20 will be equipped with both conventional missiles and nuclear weapons. It is estimated that it can take off with up to 45,000 tons of payload and that it will fly at subsonic speeds in addition to loading up to four hyper-sonic cruise missiles.
There are no precise data on many of the technical sections of this bomber or on its final design, and for example it is not clear what type of engine it will use.
They were supposed to use J-20 engines, but apparently their production is running late and engines like the WS-10B from China or the AL-31FM2/3 from Russia could be used.
In both cases, experts say, the bomber’s maneuverability and stealth capabilities would be compromised.
These theoretical problems lead some analysts to believe that this bomber will not be as advanced or pose a threat comparable to that posed by the B-2 and the new B-21 Spirit of the United States Air Force.
The Xian H-20 is theoretically designed to be able to attack even more distant targets, including United States bases in Japan, Guam, the Philippines, and even Hawaii and the Australian coast.
Precisely analysts indicate that if the United States decides to sell more of its F-35 fighters to countries around China —such as South Korea, Singapore, India or Taiwan— that would make “all of China’s neighbors in the Indo-Pacific region they had F-35s to contain China,” which in turn would be a clear factor for China to rush to file this H-20.
With this stealth bomber, China would advance its nuclear triad, which combines submarines, bombers (both with nuclear weapons) and ground ballistic missiles (ICBMs).
The idea is to dissuade any potential attacker from threatening countries that have this type of weaponry.
The United States, Russia, India, China and supposedly Israel have this capacity.
Source: Xataka
