The official name of J-20 was Project 718 demonstrator at that time, when the prototype NO. 2001 made it maiden flight on Jan.11, 2011.
I think he is implying H-20 is about to take its maiden flight but still long way to go to enter IOC phase.
H-20 bomber (with H-X, JH-XX)
- Thread starter Deino
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I think he is implying H-20 is about to take its maiden flight but still long way to go to enter IOC phase.
My current overall conclusion, as it seems, my first impressions is correct or much likely: it is some sort of PR stunt to gain attention and even more to distract from the real thing grows stronger and stronger … so let’s wait for the real one.
But especially for those with a lot of impatience… how long will it take until we’ll see the real one?
i think it would be stupid to attempt to add agility to a bomber. if sacrifices were to be made then the gains should be in the realm of speed, supersonic cruise would be better if realistic. even with anti stealth radar, to be able to engage a stealth feature bomber at 1000km is pretty hard, so in theory a H-20 just has to be able to quickly get in range, do its thing, then quickly get out before the defender could react.
If it is at the same phase as the first flight-worthy J-20 demonstrator, I would say 2029-2030 for introduction to the PLAAF.
And how long until maiden flight?
IF it will be flying next year, the bomber is already more or less in one piece in an Hangar doing ground test to pass all his subsystem in check. So testing imminently doesn't say flying tomorrow. Ground testing of subsystem in a prototype take a while.
plawolf
Lieutenant General
Why do people think adding the folding vertical stabilisers are about combat manoeuvring? The thing is a bomber, if it needs to dogfight it’s dead already.
If folding vertical stabilisers are indeed a feature, they would have been added for take-off and landings.
The B49 first (US) flying wing bomber design had a lot of flight control issues due to the inherent flight characteristics of the design, much of that was ‘solved’ by FBW control systems, but I would not be surprised if the B2 had significant limitations and restrictions in terms of things like weather conditions and runway length it could safely operate from.
China has always been very obsessive about all its weapons systems being able to operate at the high altitudes of Tibet.
I would not be surprised if the folding tails were needed to meet that operational requirement. It would also have a lot of other benefits like allowing the H20 to take off and land at many more airports and under much more adverse weather conditions.
Given the precision manufacturing capabilities already demonstrated by China, I think it’s not unreasonable to think they can design the folding mechanism to give minimal to no adverse RCS impact compared to a traditional design, at least from radars looking skywards at it. That would mean the only real cost beyond money to such a design would be weight, and not a lot of it. Seems like a good trade-off to me.
We learned that the project 718 was endorsed in 2010. The endorsement had happened in 2008. The pre-endorsement stage had started in 2007. The maiden flight happened in early 2011 and the introduction happened in early 2017. We haven't got any official news about the H-20 yet. We had teasers (which means the PLAAF may have endorsed a project to become the H-20). I guess the H-20 is where the J-20 was during late 2009 and early 2010. Of course, if there is extra secrecy (highly likely) and extra digitalization of testing and design (almost certain) it may be at a further stage. But I think any expectation earlier than late 2027 is too optimistic.