Skywatcher
Captain
Same here. I think I might be seeing a seventh example every other third look, but I don't think it's there.
H-6 Bomber Aircraft Discussions
- Thread starter F40Racer
- Start date
Same here. I think I might be seeing a seventh example every other third look, but I don't think it's there.
ludasmatyi
Junior Member
I'll call this one six
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asif iqbal
Lieutenant General
Looks to be optimised for attacking warships at sea with that big chin mounted surface search radar
No ... even if developed on the original big-radar H-6D this modernised H-6M is a PLAAF-ALCM-carrier based on modernised H-6E/F re-equipped/ modified to a similar stndat as the H-6H bzt capable to use the KD-20 ALCM.
Deino
Deino
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All the discussion so far is very interesting and I will probably add my 2 cents as well. However there are some other things on my mind first. Combat aircraft are as the very name suggests build for combat, so I would like to get into the combat use of the H 6 and that includes also quasi – combat. Let me elaborate. AFAIK the H 6 bombers of the PLAAF & PLANAF were not used in real combat i.e. attacks on an actual enemy but PLAAF Badgers (sticking to the Western designation of its Soviet “ancestor”) have dropped live bombs on ice blocking the Yellow river. BTW similar “ice bombing” ops were also conducted by the Soviet and than Russian AF. Such an operation is not “real” combat but it is also not just an exercise because bombs are dropped for some purpose other than hitting a circle or a cross marked on the ground. These PLAAF “ice bombing” ops were mentioned in earlier pages of this thread but can someone put together a decent summary with the when / how many planes / how many bombs sort of data? English language would be preferable for I do not speak (much less read) Chinese and when it comes to electronic translators – well in some cases electronic translators provide half way understandable translations but my experience is that in case of Chinese language they are worse than worthless. It should be also mentioned that H 6 were also involved in Chinese nuclear tests and dropped an actual nuclear bomb on at least one occasion.
Yet the H 6 was used in actual combat albeit not by the Chinese. The Iraqi AF had both Soviet Tu 16 and its Chinese H 6 “clone” or rather “mutation” in form of the H 6D missile carrier variant (BTW is the D designation correct?) with C 601 anti ship missiles wrongly but commonly referred to as Silkworm – the Silkworm is not a correct designation, but one very often used so please forgive me for using it too. Already here a question comes up – how many H 6 and missiles for them were bought from China? Combat usage of Iraqi Tu 16 was mentioned in this thread around page 15 if I am not mistaken but I would like to leave the Tupolevs alone and stick to discussing the H 6 for they had a combat record of their own worth to be examined.
As far as I know - info below comes from ACIG (Air Combat Information Group) site & forum - the following vessels were claimed as hit by the H-6 / C 601 combination:
Bulk carrier Iran Entekhab hit and damaged with one killed on 5 Feb 1988 – this was the first hit for the Badger / Silkworm combination in the Iran – Iraq war
Oil tanker Khark 5 hit and damaged with casualties limited to wounded only but also reported as hit by conventional bombs by other type of aircraft. Anyway the attack took place on 7 Feb 1988
Oil tanker Shir Kooh hit and damaged on 9 Feb 1988.
Oil tanker Kate Maersk (not to be confused with a container ship of the same name) damaged on 12 Feb 1988. As a result a Danish sailor was killed and three more men injured. The crew accommodation, bridge and radio room suffered damage. The attack was also attributed to an Iranian helicopter firing rockets and machine guns.
Soleiman (not sure about the ship type) hit and damaged on 15 Feb 1988 with the loss of four crew members killed.
Oil tanker Tenacity damaged on 8 March 1988.
Oil tanker Trade Fortitude hit and damaged on 15 March 1988.
Oil tankers Avaj and Sanandaj become a total loss on 19 March 1988 with as many as 48 (22 & 26 respectively) people killed. This was by some sources attributed to the H 6 / C 601 combination but more likely the culprits were Iraqi Tu 22 (Blinders) with struck the ships with conventional 500 kg bombs while they were at the Kharg oil terminal anchorage.
Oil tanker Anax damaged on 30 March 1988.
Oil tanker Shoush damaged on 4 June 1988. Also reported as damaged by conventional bombs which straddled her while she was at the Kharg oil terminal anchorage.
Bulk carrier Iran Fallahi damaged on 11 June 1988. Also reported as damaged by an Exocet on 20 June 1988.
Oil tankers Fortuneship L damaged on 1 July 1988. It was also attributed to an Exocet.
Oil tanker Khark 4 damaged on 1 July 1988.
Oil tanker fellowship L damaged to the engine room on 7 July 1988. The attack was also attributed to an Exocet.
Any correction to the list above, additional info on ships hit etc. is of course most welcomed.
As far as Iraqi H 6 losses were concerned on 25 Feb 1988 an Iranian F 14 shot down a H 6 as well as a C 601 missile it had just launched. BTW it was exactly the sort of thing the Tomcat / Phoenix combination was designed to do – that is shooting down bombers and anti ship missiles.
Any additional info on Iraqi Tu 16 ops during the war with Iran, possible losses etc. is of course requested.
The H 6 in Iraqi colours is now an extinct bird species but it would be very interesting to know when, under what circumstances etc. the H 6 were destroyed during Desert Storm and the 2003 invasion.
Yet the H 6 was used in actual combat albeit not by the Chinese. The Iraqi AF had both Soviet Tu 16 and its Chinese H 6 “clone” or rather “mutation” in form of the H 6D missile carrier variant (BTW is the D designation correct?) with C 601 anti ship missiles wrongly but commonly referred to as Silkworm – the Silkworm is not a correct designation, but one very often used so please forgive me for using it too. Already here a question comes up – how many H 6 and missiles for them were bought from China? Combat usage of Iraqi Tu 16 was mentioned in this thread around page 15 if I am not mistaken but I would like to leave the Tupolevs alone and stick to discussing the H 6 for they had a combat record of their own worth to be examined.
As far as I know - info below comes from ACIG (Air Combat Information Group) site & forum - the following vessels were claimed as hit by the H-6 / C 601 combination:
Bulk carrier Iran Entekhab hit and damaged with one killed on 5 Feb 1988 – this was the first hit for the Badger / Silkworm combination in the Iran – Iraq war
Oil tanker Khark 5 hit and damaged with casualties limited to wounded only but also reported as hit by conventional bombs by other type of aircraft. Anyway the attack took place on 7 Feb 1988
Oil tanker Shir Kooh hit and damaged on 9 Feb 1988.
Oil tanker Kate Maersk (not to be confused with a container ship of the same name) damaged on 12 Feb 1988. As a result a Danish sailor was killed and three more men injured. The crew accommodation, bridge and radio room suffered damage. The attack was also attributed to an Iranian helicopter firing rockets and machine guns.
Soleiman (not sure about the ship type) hit and damaged on 15 Feb 1988 with the loss of four crew members killed.
Oil tanker Tenacity damaged on 8 March 1988.
Oil tanker Trade Fortitude hit and damaged on 15 March 1988.
Oil tankers Avaj and Sanandaj become a total loss on 19 March 1988 with as many as 48 (22 & 26 respectively) people killed. This was by some sources attributed to the H 6 / C 601 combination but more likely the culprits were Iraqi Tu 22 (Blinders) with struck the ships with conventional 500 kg bombs while they were at the Kharg oil terminal anchorage.
Oil tanker Anax damaged on 30 March 1988.
Oil tanker Shoush damaged on 4 June 1988. Also reported as damaged by conventional bombs which straddled her while she was at the Kharg oil terminal anchorage.
Bulk carrier Iran Fallahi damaged on 11 June 1988. Also reported as damaged by an Exocet on 20 June 1988.
Oil tankers Fortuneship L damaged on 1 July 1988. It was also attributed to an Exocet.
Oil tanker Khark 4 damaged on 1 July 1988.
Oil tanker fellowship L damaged to the engine room on 7 July 1988. The attack was also attributed to an Exocet.
Any correction to the list above, additional info on ships hit etc. is of course most welcomed.
As far as Iraqi H 6 losses were concerned on 25 Feb 1988 an Iranian F 14 shot down a H 6 as well as a C 601 missile it had just launched. BTW it was exactly the sort of thing the Tomcat / Phoenix combination was designed to do – that is shooting down bombers and anti ship missiles.
Any additional info on Iraqi Tu 16 ops during the war with Iran, possible losses etc. is of course requested.
The H 6 in Iraqi colours is now an extinct bird species but it would be very interesting to know when, under what circumstances etc. the H 6 were destroyed during Desert Storm and the 2003 invasion.
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Geographer
Junior Member
Hi POKL, thanks for the information and welcome to the forum! That's the first I've heard of the H-6 in combat.
Thanks for your thanks you know discussing combat aircraft without discussing their use in combat is like discussing race cars without discussing how they raced or boxers without discussing their bouts. Chinese made military aircraft (other weapon systems but let’s stick to AC) such as J 6, J 7, A 5 just to mention these types were used extensively in combat and it is about time (actually long overdue) to discuss their use in combat. Since this is a thread about the H 6 let me once again put forward my original request – please somebody, anybody some info on the “Chinese Badger” use in combat and quasi – combat ops please!!!
you know discussing combat aircraft without discussing their use in combat is like discussing race cars without discussing how they raced or boxers without discussing their bouts. Chinese made military aircraft (other weapon systems but let’s stick to AC) such as J 6, J 7, A 5 just to mention these types were used extensively in combat and it is about time (actually long overdue) to discuss their use in combat. Since this is a thread about the H 6 let me once again put forward my original request – please somebody, anybody some info on the “Chinese Badger” use in combat and quasi – combat ops please!!!Let me add, that as far as I was able to find out via ACIG the Iraqis purchased in late 1987 just four H 6 and about fifty C 601 missiles, so the bulk of their bomber fleet which was not that large to begin with remained of Soviet origin. As far as I was able to find out the Iraqis fired about 30 (if not more) of their “Silkworms” with the results posted above (though the list needs some major checking) and lost one H 6 to Iranian F 14 (also see above). If this info is correct and so far there seems to be no better around they had three H 6 left by the time of Desert Storm and all were probably destroyed in 1991. Perhaps somebody has detailed info on Iraqi aircraft destroyed on the ground – if Badgers are listed there is a good chance some of them were H 6 and so the fate of Chinese bombers in Iraqi service could be established with a certain degree of probability.
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