The H-20, China’s first dedicated strategic bomberbegan its development in the first decade of this century. In 2016the People’s Liberation Army Air Force revealed the existence of the project and, since then, an image has been leaked along with various designs of the plane. In 2022Chinese media published that the H-20 was close to making its maiden flight and last March Wang Weivice commander of the same military body, stated that bomber would be revealed ‘very soon’. Now, China has released for the first time the image of the conceptual design of the H-20a bomber designed to strengthen the chinese nuclear triad and face the aerial dominance of USAwhich will soon deploy the stealth bomber B-21 Raider.
The H-20 is expected to be one of the most advanced assets in China’s strategic arsenal. Although specific technical details remain classifiedit is known that it has been designed to have great range, payload capacity and survivability in contested environments. The published conceptual image shows a design of flying wing similar to that of American stealth bombers, such as the B-2 Spirit and the B-21 Raider. This shape minimizes radar visibility and makes it suitable for missions. deep penetration in hostile environmentswith the aim of evading detection by advanced radar and missile systems.
Unlike current series bombers H-6 from China, which are based on an old Soviet design and have been modernized over the years, the H-20 is a proprietary design capable of transporting both nuclear and conventional loads over very long distances.
The H-20 design has been unveiled as the United States continues development of the B-21 Raiderits long-awaited next-generation stealth bomber that will replace its bomber fleet B-1 and B-2. The B-21, scheduled to enter service in the mid-2020s, incorporates Cutting-edge stealth technology, a modular architecture for future upgrades, and extensive charging options. If the H-20 can match the capabilities of the B-21, China would gain a much more significant operational capability in strategic bombing missions and long-range strikes than would allow it to operate in regions traditionally dominated by US and allied forces.
Although the exact specifications of the H-20 are not known, there has been speculation an operating range of up to 8,500 km. This range would allow it to strike targets throughout the Indo-Pacific region and beyond. Additionally, the H-20 is expected to carry cargo that could include, in addition to nuclear and conventional munitions, long-range cruise missiles.
The flying wing design highlights the emphasis on stealth. According to military experts, it includes radar absorbing materials (RAM) and low profile air intakes to minimize the radar cross section. They are also expected advanced avionics and electronic warfare systemsimproving the situational awareness of the bomber and allowing coordinated attacks along with other air, land or maritime assets. Its load capacity would be 10 tons.
The United States, however, expresses no concern about China’s progress in developing its strategic bomber. Last week, a defense official noted that the H-20 exemplifies China’s desire to be considered a superior military power. But own the stealth bomber ‘doesn’t necessarily mean that it actually gives (Beijing) the kind of capacity they would need or in the quantity they would need’according to National Interest.