Rumoured Projects & Likelihood Thereof

Tomboy

Captain
Registered Member
hared engines? Perhaps.
Shared wing? No.

Non-VLO bombers differ from the other large aircraft types, such that their wings are required to be able to carry heavy missile payloads through their underwing pylons. The H-6K/J/Ns are able to carry CJ-10, YJ-12/15 and YJ-21 missiles, each of them weighs about 2-4+ tons.

In contrast, the underwing pylons of the P-8 are rated to carry a maximum of ~1.1 tons each. (Note: The P-8 lies roughly in the same MTOW category as the H-6 family, albeit likely not quite close).

Granted, the P-8 is based on the civilian 737-NG airframe, but the limits are there. In addition, we certainly won't expect special mission aircrafts to be able to regularly haul missiles that weighs 2-4+ tons each to shoot at enemy warships/land-based facilities either, since those missions are better performed by dedicated bombers and strike aircraft.

Furthermore, the additional structural reinforcements required to enable hauling heavy missiles on underwing pylons would be necessary for the wings of bombers, but would become literal deadweights for the wings of special mission aircrafts. So there's that.
Your are still thinking this too much in that this is just a airliner, there really isn't anything stopping the PLAAF from having requirements of reinforced wings or having a specific amount of hardpoints which is also ideal for some other missions as well. Given that this aircraft is literally going to be purpose built for the PLA, depending on what the requirements are, they could easily choose having a reinforced wing and hardpoints over slightly better range and payload.
 

ACuriousPLAFan

Lieutenant General
Registered Member
Your are still thinking this too much in that this is just a airliner, there really isn't anything stopping the PLAAF from having requirements of reinforced wings or having a specific amount of hardpoints which is also ideal for some other missions as well. Given that this aircraft is literally going to be purpose built for the PLA, depending on what the requirements are, they could easily choose having a reinforced wing and hardpoints over slightly better range and payload.

You missed my point.

Nobody said the PLAAF couldn't ask for reinforced wings on a special mission aircraft. The question is whether it makes sense to share wings between a bomber and a non-bomber.

If you reinforce the wings for heavy payloads (which, for the H-6K/G/N, means 2-4+ tons per hardpoint), you would need to add not just thicker wing spars, wing ribs, and heavier attachment points for the underwing weapon pylons, but also other internal structural reinforcements to ensure the wings don't snap when the aircraft conducts maneuvers during combat (e.g., evading missiles), albeit we certainly don't expect the bombers to be able to do a cobra.

Furthermore, a bomber's wing must be specifically engineered to handle the violent, instantaneous changes in wing bending moments and fatigue cycles when a 2-4-ton missile is dropped. A special mission aircraft maintains a relatively constant weight distribution throughout its mission duration, hence they don't need a wing built to withstand this kind of sudden structural shock.

Then there is the center-of-gravity (COG) issue and wing box integration. A bomber's COG is designed around carrying massive weight under the wings and/or inside a bomb bay. Conversely, special mission aircraft often carry massive, heavy electronics inside and outside (i.e., on top, at the bottom, and/or around) their fuselages. You can't just take a wing and wing box designed to balance low-hanging missiles and optimally attach it to a fuselage carrying a heavy top radome, for instance. The physics of balancing the aircraft are entirely different.

This is before we even get into wing geometries. A bomber requires specific wing sweep angles and a thinner airfoil (a lower thickness-to-chord ratio) optimized for a high-speed bombing-run dash or higher transit cruise speeds (even as both are done entirely in the high-subsonic regime). A special mission aircraft, however, is required to loiter on station for extended durations. That would often mean a lower sweep angle and a thicker airfoil for better lift at lower speeds and greater internal fuel volume, which directly translates to longer endurance. For reference, purpose-built bomber families like the B-52, Tu-95, and H-6 use a wing sweep of ~35 degrees, whereas special mission platforms based on the 737, 757, and A320 sit around ~25 degrees.

That weight penalty from sharing the same wing follows the special mission aircraft everywhere it flies. For a bomber, that reinforcement is mission-essential. For a special mission aircraft, it's a literal deadweight that burns additional fuel and reduces endurance for absolutely no operational gain. This rule applies the exact same way regardless of whether the platform is based on a civilian airliner or a purpose-built military airframe.

So no, a shared wing isn't reasonable. Not because it's technically impossible, but because it is structurally and aerodynamically inefficient in a way that entirely defeats the premise of saving costs during development, procurement, operation, and maintenance processes.
 

MeiouHades

Junior Member
Registered Member
I quite like what Pakistan has done with their new MPA/ASW aircraft and I'm wondering why the PLAAF couldn't also do that. Is it because they want it ALL indigenous? A sort of "go big or go home" stance?
 

Blitzo

General
Staff member
Super Moderator
Registered Member
I quite like what Pakistan has done with their new MPA/ASW aircraft and I'm wondering why the PLAAF couldn't also do that. Is it because they want it ALL indigenous? A sort of "go big or go home" stance?

When you say "also do that," what do you mean exactly?

If you're referring to "taking a foreign airliner airframe and militarizing it" then the answer is because there is a tacit understanding that the PRC will not militarize foreign purchased civilian aircraft from the west, with a natural consequence being that if they did so then the west would likely cut off sales of said aircraft. That also applies to aircraft like C919 which uses foreign subsystems and components.

That means if the PLA wants an airliner airframe for the basis of a military aircraft, it essentially needs to be "un-sanctionable" -- meaning either fully domestic, or alternatively purchased from Russia (the latter of which is obvious why it is not worth it simply because of the fleet size the PRC would want for most special mission roles).


Like... there is a reason why the PRC hasn't simply militarized all of the many 767 and A330 aircraft in their civilian airline fleet for tankers or AEWC or taken the 737s and A320s operated by civilian airlines for ASW MPAs and other special mission roles.


They aren't choosing to pursue a domestic un-sanctionable airframe for laughs and giggles -- it's because the costs of doing so with "other options" have their own consequences and blow back.
 

ACuriousPLAFan

Lieutenant General
Registered Member
Updated 3 June 2026.

Rumored projects:
  • H-20 - 5
  • PLANMC VTOL fighter - 3
  • Navalized 6th-gen manned fighter (J-XD(S)T) - 4
  • Navalized UADF/ULWF (not GJ-21) - 4
  • C-5/An-124-class transport aircraft - 3
  • Stealth helicopter - 2
  • An-225-class transport aircraft - 1
  • AVIC AHL (10-15-ton payload) - 4
  • AVIC AHL (20-25-ton payload) - 3
  • JH-XX - 1
  • Hypersonic air breathing recon drone - 2
  • PL-17B/Next gen ULRAAM - 3
  • PL-21 - 2
  • Exclusive to stealth aircraft long range AAM - 3
  • 757/767-class common platform for next-gen special mission aircraft - 3
  • C919-based special mission aircraft - 2
  • Ultra heavy AEW&C - 1
  • C-295/C-27J-class transport aircraft - 2
  • Carrier-based transport aircraft - 4

(Modified/newly-added items in bold)
 
Last edited:

sequ

Colonel
Registered Member
Updated 3 June 2026.

Rumored projects:
  • H-20 - 5
  • PLANMC VTOL fighter - 3
  • Navalized 6th-gen manned fighter (J-XD(S)T) - 4
  • Navalized UADF/ULWF (not GJ-21) - 4
  • C-5/An-124-class transport aircraft - 3
  • Stealth helicopter - 2
  • An-225-class transport aircraft - 1
  • AVIC AHL (10-15-ton payload) - 4
  • AVIC AHL (20-25-ton payload) - 3
  • JH-XX - 1
  • Hypersonic air breathing recon drone - 2
  • PL-17B/Next gen ULRAAM - 3
  • PL-21 - 2
  • Exclusive to stealth aircraft long range AAM - 3
  • 757/767-class common platform for next-gen special mission aircraft - 3
  • C919-based special mission aircraft - 2
  • Ultra heavy AEW&C - 1
  • C-295/C-27J-class transport aircraft - 2
  • Carrier-based transport aircraft - 4

(Modified/newly-added items in bold)
What do those numbers indicate?
 

Maikeru

Colonel
Registered Member
What do those numbers indicate?
See the first post in this thread.

Edit: As a reminder -

5 - almost certainly exists/blurry images of prototypes seen/strongly hinted at by AVIC/PLA
4 - probably exists, strong persistent rumours, mentioned in CMPR
3 - Maybe exists, some models that may bear some resemblance to something, some rumours from sometime credible sources
2 - probably doesn't exist, old rumours/models, no news for some years
1 - About as credible as Minnie Chan and Idiot Sandwich
 

sunnymaxi

Colonel
Registered Member
I wonder if we could upgrade to a 3 given that SOYO just hinted about the existence of such an aircraft today in his post about the radiator arrangement on WJ-10 nacelle.

Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!

IMO the PLA do really need something to replace the old Y-7s
why not MA-700 to replace older Y-7 ? another turboprop clean-sheet design is a colossal waste of money and time.
 

Tomboy

Captain
Registered Member
why not MA-700 to replace older Y-7 ? another turboprop clean-sheet design is a colossal waste of money and time.
Really depends on what they actually want, if they want a true tactical airlifter, MA-700 will not be sufficient as it is not designed for rough/unprep and short strips takeoffs and landings which is something you'll probably want on a frontline tactical transport, neither does it have a rear ramp like C-27J/C-295 which is also pretty important for paradropping and airlifting. On the other hand, if the PLA just wants a maritime patrol aircraft, VIP/troop transport or utility, MA-700 should be more than enough.
 
Top