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

H-20 will be designed to close the current capability gaps in the PLA. This means irreplaceable missions like:
1. Sustained, high intensity conventional strike against Australia/Hawaii
2. Sustained, high intensity conventional strike against CONUS
3. High yield nuclear strike against CONUS, including against deeply buried targets
4. Long range maritime interdiction, including in the Atlantic and off the US coast

Missions like AEW are tactical and much less important and can be performed by a variety of existing. Its not impossible that the H-20 can in some way perform this mission thanks to the flexibility of modern sensors but I cannot see the PLAAF making any compromises on the core features of the H-20 to support this mission, which are 1. all aspect broad band VLO stealth 2. range 3. payload.

Latest ChaHuaHui mentioned (~35:20): “there’s no chance we get to see ‘Water’ (H-20) on the Sept 3rd military parade”.

A hint that Guacha guys know the rough status and timeline of H-20? Or am I just overthinking

niwashi said:

Latest ChaHuaHui mentioned: “there’s no chance we get to see ‘Water’ (H-20) on the Sept 3rd military parade”.

Does that infer the Guacha guys know the rough status and timeline of H-20? Or am I just overthinking

Click to expand...

They probably know something because they mentioned before that H-20 prototype is under construction already but stuff like H-20 appearing at VJ parade this year is just ridiculous any serious PLA watcher would know that the H-20 would be a no show.

niwashi said:

Latest ChaHuaHui mentioned (~35:20): “there’s no chance we get to see ‘Water’ (H-20) on the Sept 3rd military parade”.

A hint that Guacha guys know the rough status and timeline of H-20? Or am I just overthinking

Click to expand...

There were also related rumors in 2019. I believe the situation this year won't be any different.

Matrixdet said:

There were also related rumors in 2019. I believe the situation this year won't be any different.

Click to expand...

Now that we know how close 6th gen capabilities are the delay makes a lot more sense. Getting a 5th gen level bomber into the field in the late 2020s to early 2030s timeframe would have made no sense.

niwashi said:

Latest ChaHuaHui mentioned (~35:20): “there’s no chance we get to see ‘Water’ (H-20) on the Sept 3rd military parade”.

A hint that Guacha guys know the rough status and timeline of H-20? Or am I just overthinking

Click to expand...

The idea of not seeing H-20 on the September 3rd parade would be obvious and logical regardless of the situation.

Considering it has yet to fly yet, it is a forgone conclusion that it wouldn't appear at the parade.

Maybe what they meant was it's not going to fly before the parade?

Kejora said:

Yeah, H-20 is like submarine in the navy. Just like Type 055 and Type 054B received a lot of publicity while Type 095 and Type 096 still shrouded in secrecy.

Click to expand...

Man, hopefully won't take as long as 95/96. Basically not getting the Ukrainians to sell the Tu-160 in the 90's set back the new strategic bomber program by 35 years.