H-20 bomber (with H-X, JH-XX)

SinoSoldier said:

These are all fan made images with no authoritative backing whatsoever.

However, if the image of the engine duct posted a few months ago indeed shows a component of the H-XX, then it can be implied that the H-XX will be significantly larger than the B-2. Some of the latest artwork from 草根设计师-CAD implies that as well although I'm not sure how credible or realistic the images are.

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It is possible that China sees potential in an entirety stealth bomber force vs the smaller “precision” B-2s. They don’t have super large bombers, so the H-20 might be an attempt to add one.

Given the general strategy of reliance on quality over quantity and PLA status as mainly a self defense force, a smaller completely stealth bomber force of large stealthy planes makes sense over a larger force with small B-2 style stealth bombers and large unstealthy B-52 sized craft. The latter is not very useful in defense, while the former can work extremely well in naval strike

The B-2 isn't especially large. It is a quad engine bomber. It uses non-afterburning versions of what are basically F-16 engines.
The Tu-160 has way more thrust. Like over double. It also has four engines but with like over twice the thrust including afterburners. Even in dry thrust alone it has more thrust.
So this means it can carry way more payload. Even despite having a more complex variable-geometry and thus heavier airframe.

It think it would make little sense for China to make anything smaller than a quad engine aircraft. For one they don't have any large engines in that performance class they can use for a bomber. For another, why make a strategic bomber with the same thrust as a fighter bomber? It makes no sense.

From all we know one of the requirements for Chinese bombers like the H-6K is to have enough range to hit Guam with at least cruise missiles. I do not expect that requirement to vanish with the H-20.

In fact if I was the Chinese I would wait until the WS-15 is available to make the H-20. Simply because it will have way better performance characteristics, like dry thrust, for a bomber.

gelgoog said:

The B-2 isn't especially large. It is a quad engine bomber. It uses non-afterburning versions of what are basically F-18 engines.

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Corrected for you.
Also B2 is in very small numbers.
B21 plans larger numbers, originally of a smaller bomber now it seems to be about the same size.

We really can't gage the size the PLAAF aims for H20's size.

TerraN_EmpirE said:

Corrected for you.
Also B2 is in very small numbers.
B21 plans larger numbers, originally of a smaller bomber now it seems to be about the same size.

We really can't gage the size the PLAAF aims for H20's size.

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I am afraid you are wrong, the engines are non afterburner turbofan derived from the the General Electric F110 engine used on later models of the F16.

The engine designation is F118, I suspect that's where the confusion stems from. Considering the F404-F1D2 (D for dry/non-afterburning, and indeed a variant of the engine from the F-18) in the F-117 (that is the stealth aircraft, not the C-17 engine!) you'd expect it to be called F110-F1D2 or something.

Yep, clear as mud

An interesting NWPU patent...

Are we going to see H-20 by end of this year

Or is it another Type 075 story ?

It will show when it shows. H20 however seems to indicate that the time is near.

asif iqbal said:

Are we going to see H-20 by end of this year

Or is it another Type 075 story ?

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Supposedly we should see it this year. But I guess we can only wait and see.

Deino said:

Thanks a lot for your post. IMO the post of the week.

However I'm not sure if the second image is indeed a J-16D, the wing-tips look slimmer than on the J-15D .... anyway a most interesting post.

Thanks.

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yep those wing-tips do look slimmer, so just maybe I guess

btw someone living in Shenyang said this on Weibo today (ID: 9谢艺航6）: 601's side-by-side dual-seat stealth tactical bomber (kinda like a stealth su-34 I guess?) and the follow-up version of the FC31 have both seen test flights. However I can't verify if he's telling the truth for he posted no photos. (plz tell me if I posted this in the wrong thread...)

Screenshot of his original words down here: