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New variants such as the H-6K and H-6N operated by the People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF), and the H-6J operated by the People’s Liberation Army Navy Air Force (PLANAF), are vastly more capable aircraft than the old Tu-16. The H-6 has gone through a complex series of iterations and upgrades since entering Chinese service in the 1960s. Even with the arrival of a new stealth bomber, tentatively designated the H-20, the venerable H-6 will remain a core platform. Though ultimately based on the obsolete Soviet Tu-16 that was retired from Russian service in the early 1990s, the H-6 will be the mainstay of China’s bomber force well into the 2030s. The report dedicates only a few brief lines to China’s planned stealth bomber, saying no more than it will be ready sometime in the mid-2020s.Īmerican concerns about the H-6 are warranted. What is arguably Beijing’s most capable fighter, the Sukhoi Su-35, garners just two references. China’s much-hyped new stealth fighter, the Chengdu J-20, is far back in second place with just 11 mentions.

The H-6 family receives 33 mentions in the 173-page report. The K-, J-, and N-models feature upgraded engines and other major improvements The H-6K at 2018’s Airshow China in Zhuhai. Airline Business special: CEOs to watch in 2021.FlightGlobal Guide to Business Aviation Training and Safety 2021.EDGE: A new global force in aerospace and defence.Shell Aviation: What will it take to Decarbonise Aviation?.What does the future of aviation look like in 2022?.Guide to Business Aviation Training and Safety 2022.What will it take to Decarbonise Aviation?.