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

Do we even know the JH-XX will exist? Also, contra-everyone else's direction, the JH-XX will likely have a substantial air-to-air role, given that it is very long-ranged, likely to be stealthier than the J-20 with better sensors to boot, and capable of carrying immense missile payloads.

The problem with the J-20 is that it lacks a strong guarantee to be a pound-for-pound counter to the F-35, and given its much greater size, it's unlikely to be able to do the job even if gets outsize kill ratios, once the relative sizes of the Chinese and American economies are factored in.

The JH-XX, on the other hand, can be more stealth optimized given that it doesn't need the same level of agility as the J-20, can carry larger and more capable sensors than the J-20, and hopefully function as a sort of Chinese F-15EX geared to counter outnumbering numbers of F-35s instead of J-10s.

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If it seems farfetched, remember that the JH-XX is still a J aircraft (annihilator / fighter), and that the best counter to Russian Su-27s or American F-15s during the early 1990s were JH-7s, which were much more capable than the J-8s and J-7s China had at the time. The MiG-25 and MiG-31, likewise, were the best Soviet counter to the F-15's BVR capabilities since the MiG-29s were made for dogfighting.

If the JH-XX is somehow produced, it'd likely IOC before 2030, and be best positioned to take out large numbers of F-35s given its sensor superiority before the J-XX IOCs around 2035.

Inst said:

Do we even know the JH-XX will exist?

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We don't.

There's been nothing that has changed about the idea of JH-XX since the first rumours of it emerged over a decade ago.

We still don't know if it is being pursued or not, so all of the detailed discussion around its viability and usefulness is basically moot.

Blitzo said:

We don't.

There's been nothing that has changed about the idea of JH-XX since the first rumours of it emerged over a decade ago.

We still don't know if it is being pursued or not, so all of the detailed discussion around its viability and usefulness is basically moot.

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The US seems convinced that the JH-XX program exists, but it's highly likely that the JH-XX, if it's built, will surprise by having a substantial air-to-air mission, both as a stop-gap against NGAD, and as a way to efficiently counter the F-35.

I wish there were separate threads for H-20 and JH-XX.

Inst said:

The US seems convinced that the JH-XX program exists, but it's highly likely that the JH-XX, if it's built, will surprise by having a substantial air-to-air mission, both as a stop-gap against NGAD, and as a way to efficiently counter the F-35.

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The US acknowledges it as something that may be cooking in the same way that we do.

There is no firm US expectation of it emerging, and while it is okay for us to entertain the idea of JH-XX it has to be done with understanding that there currently is no definitive understanding that it is under active development in the way that something like H-20 is.

THX 1138 said:

I wish there were separate threads for H-20 and JH-XX.

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It's a bit early for that, and by doing so it also implies that JH-XX exists and is something to expect.
We may do so once H-20 emerges itself, and we may end up with "H-20 thread" and "H-X, JH-XX (non H-20) thread"

2023 DoD report still claims that the Chinese are developing regional stealth bombers, i.e, either a smaller alternative to the H-20 or the JH-XX.

That said, there's like a 5 year window wherein a production JH-XX would be important (i.e, as a stopgap against future NGAD and efficient counter to F-35s until the J-X comes online), and you're right that it's basically vaporware at this stage, so it's not really worth speculating over until more evidence comes in, so I'll drop it.

There should be no particular rush to put a JH-XX into service. Not when only recently did the J-16 enter service in enough numbers to replace the JH-7.

Then there are the human resources. Who would be designing this JH-XX? Prior rumors suggested Shenyang together with Xian. But Xian is busy with the H-20 program while Shenyang is busy getting the J-35 ready for service. I think any JH-XX program by them would only be possible after this.

I think the only viable short term solution to making a JH-XX would be getting Chengdu to make some sort of modified J-20 for that role. Maybe get them to somehow modify it to have larger internal bays and fuel capacity, similar to the US FB-22 proposal.

Inst said:

2023 DoD report still claims that the Chinese are developing regional stealth bombers, i.e, either a smaller alternative to the H-20 or the JH-XX.

That said, there's like a 5 year window wherein a production JH-XX would be important (i.e, as a stopgap against future NGAD and efficient counter to F-35s until the J-X comes online), and you're right that it's basically vaporware at this stage, so it's not really worth speculating over until more evidence comes in, so I'll drop it.

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Please drop it, and also recognize this post basically repeats the same thing you wrote in the previous post which I replied to.

We are all aware of the DoD reports, and right now there is no basis to consider the JH-XX we an active project being developed for procurement in the way that H-20 is.


There is no information we have access to which changes it, and actively absorbing and understanding this and holding it close to ones heart is important to allow us to make progress in this thread constructively as a community.


If people want to discuss the idea of a JH-XX, as long as there is consensus understanding that right now there is no basis for us to believe such a project is being developed for procurement, then go wild.

Anonymous US DoD official disses H-20:

Maikeru said:

Anonymous US DoD official disses H-20:

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US DOD disser claims J-20 is highly capable system. TWZ editor at a dilemma.

The DoD intelligence official today said the J-20 is “still a highly capable system”

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