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

There's always been talk of the H-20 but for some particular reason this latest design even it's real or not seems to have gotten the most attention in the West. Why? Simply because of how it looks. There's nothing out there that gives it special attention except for how this thing looks. I don't know if it's cultural but does China care about looks? China seems to lean more to how they don't care how it looks just as long as it works. The only time when they seem to care is when they want to make it look analogous to another country's counterpart. China may not care but if they want to export whatever, it better look good because in part that's what catches people's attention. When photographers were able to take pics from the end of the CAC runway of the J-20 coming in for a landing, I read someone's comment saying it looked like a monster. I would guess that's good since we're talking about war machines. I get that same thing is being conveyed when I'm reading Western sources writing about this H-20 configuration. Just like the JH-XX model that was displayed opening up speculation, it would be awesome to see it flying.

hypersonic stealth cruise missiles? how do you make something glowing with friction heating stealthy?

AssassinsMace said:

There's always been talk of the H-20 but for some particular reason this latest design even it's real or not seems to have gotten the most attention in the West. Why? Simply because of how it looks. There's nothing out there that gives it special attention except for how this thing looks. I don't know if it's cultural but does China care about looks? China seems to lean more to how they don't care how it looks just as long as it works. The only time when they seem to care is when they want to make it look analogous to another country's counterpart. China may not care but if they want to export whatever, it better look good because in part that's what catches people's attention. When photographers were able to take pics from the end of the CAC runway of the J-20 coming in for a landing, I read someone's comment saying it looked like a monster. I would guess that's good since we're talking about war machines. I get that same thing is being conveyed when I'm reading Western sources writing about this H-20 configuration. Just like the JH-XX model that was displayed opening up speculation, it would be awesome to see it flying.

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It's a mixed bag right now. You have the old generation of designers and engineers who only care about its work and don't care to reinvent the wheel. If they see something that works then they will use it. Then you have the new generations coming in with the hate for copying others. You can already see it with the design of the new Chinese assault rifle, the QBZ-191. They specifically hired younger and more experienced people to make an appealing design. I remember someone said it the best, going forward once China does reach the very top it would need to start making its own unique designs and style because by then there would be no one else higher to take inspiration from.

Do we have a rough ball-park on when we can expect to see this aircraft? Outside of NGAD, and B-21 this is my looked forward to platform reveal.

SlothmanAllen said:

Do we have a rough ball-park on when we can expect to see this aircraft? Outside of NGAD, and B-21 this is my looked forward to platform reveal.

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2025 was estimated a lot of times as the year of introduction to the force. Strategic platforms are usually revealed after their introduction in a lot of militaries. I think we will get to see it around 2024-2025.

TBH I've had a few people agree with me on the remark that the H-20 is actually one of the most attractive bombers out there, if it ends up looking like the magazine scan.

That said, I think it has to be highlighted that this is NOT a flying wing, but a blended wing body.

Check out the X-47B as a comparison point:


The X-47B is described as blended wing body stealth aircraft, not as a true flying wing. The point of being a blended wing body, as opposed to a true flying wing a la the B-2 etc, is that while flying wings deliver the most efficiency in terms of weight to lift, they tend to be constrained on volume. Choosing a blended wing-body layout with the H-20 means that you have a lifting body within the planform, that allows the creation of a high-volume area. Moreover, the lifting body is potentially extensible to increase the payload of the core airframe.

Notice that with the B-2, one of its key weaknesses was having a poor payload capacity when compared to the B-52. Likewise, the H-20 is going to be compared to the cheaper H-6 / Tu-16 platforms, and for the H-20, it seems to be willing to trade off stealth for range (at the very least) and possibly payload, given its blended wing-body design.

escobar said:

From Huitong.....
View attachment 73374

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If this is really the wind tunnel model of the H-20 then the top-down layout seems to look something like this:

Its layout doesn't seem to match with the current speculated design with the folding tail. any thoughts?

tupolevtu144 said:

If this is really the wind tunnel model of the H-20 then the top-down layout seems to look something like this:
View attachment 73629
Its layout doesn't seem to match with the current speculated design with the folding tail. any thoughts?

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The folding tail design seems to intend to use the folding tail during take-off and landing, not during cruise flight. It's obvious why such a thing might be selected; the folding tail, when deployed, adds drag.

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One thing I want to ask, though, is whether the basic airframe MIGHT be capable of supercruise or supersonic flight. See, a big problem with the flying wing (or BWB) design is the limited payload due to volume considerations. However, payload is a question of payload quantity over time; if you're fast enough to make twice the sorties with half the payload, you're delivering the same amount of ordinance over a long period of time.

Moreover, an important consideration, considering that the aircraft is designed for range, is that range is the enemy of speed. The faster you go, the more energy you consume in defeating drag, especially once you get over the Mach barrier. Might it be possible that the H-20 is, first, extremely long-ranged, but that it's also supersonic / supercruise capable, so that its payload problems can be compensated for by a higher sortie rate at short range?

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Overall, I see the H-20 more as an equivalent to the J-20, i.e, it's intended to be the design basis of a family of aircraft, as opposed to a be-all / end-all like the F-35. The BWB as opposed to flying wing design implies that it should be possible to expand the main body more easily, since the BWB is more plug-and-play when it comes to the wings in terms of stealth design. Likewise, it should also be possible to stuff afterburning engines and supersonic-capable intakes onto the bomber, although the drag level is going to be constant.

AssassinsMace said:

There's always been talk of the H-20 but for some particular reason this latest design even it's real or not seems to have gotten the most attention in the West. Why? Simply because of how it looks. There's nothing out there that gives it special attention except for how this thing looks. I don't know if it's cultural but does China care about looks? China seems to lean more to how they don't care how it looks just as long as it works. The only time when they seem to care is when they want to make it look analogous to another country's counterpart. China may not care but if they want to export whatever, it better look good because in part that's what catches people's attention. When photographers were able to take pics from the end of the CAC runway of the J-20 coming in for a landing, I read someone's comment saying it looked like a monster. I would guess that's good since we're talking about war machines. I get that same thing is being conveyed when I'm reading Western sources writing about this H-20 configuration. Just like the JH-XX model that was displayed opening up speculation, it would be awesome to see it flying.

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Can anyone explain who these guys are and why it should be taken seriously what they say?

Deino said:

Can anyone explain who these guys are and why it should be taken seriously what they say?

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They are popular Canadian tech reviewers. On this channel they just talk about an assortment of tech related news. By no means are they experts in military matters, they just read and react to articles.