Shilao and co mentioned that all that development in HCM has made PLAAF realize the need for a new bomber. There's a new class of weapon that's too big for H-6 to carry a pair of ala YJ-21, yet too small and not strategic weapon enough to make it a H-6N centerline special. Thus PLAAF now has a clear use case to argue for a new larger bomber.Also, I wonder if J-36 would be able to carry a strike payload of air launched YJ-19s. The main bay is definitely large enough and YJ-19 should be slim enough to fit as well.