Xian H-20: China's New Stealth Bomber Built To Match America
(Photo : Jerod Harris/Getty Images)
The Xian H-20 Stealth Bomber is the upcoming plane that will be a gamechanger for the PLAAF, and the west does not know everything about it.

The Xian H-20 Stealth Bomber is China's answer to the US Air Force's B-21, whose specifications are top secret. The technical advantage of the US is being addressed now to shorten the gap it has over Chinese forces. News of the bomber came in early 2021 but was not fully revealed in the promotional video, but the west is still intrigued.

China's H-20 Strategic Bomber 

The video, entitled "Dream of Youth," premiered on YouTube in January and accompanied two teenage recruits as they applied to join the Chinese People's Liberation Army, Air Force, as pilots (PLAAF), reported View60s.

The video clip showing the aircraft, which was only visible as a reflection of one of the pilot's helmet visors, does not provide a comprehensive view of the airplane, but it was extensively posted to social media.

Chinese reports say the plane is the Xian H-20, and it immediately attracted comparisons to the B-2 Spirit bomber of the United States Air Forces and the impending B-21 Raider.

Several months later, four computer-generated pictures were released showing the design of the Xian H-20 in an edition of Modern Weaponry, a monthly magazine published by state military corporation China North Industries Group. The bomber's computer-generated images, which have been in production for years, haven't been officially released.

South China Morning Post's defense journalist Kristin Huang published this about the H-20. After photos of the aircraft's design leaked, she remarked that China's next-generation strategic bomber might have used a stealthy flying wing design that could help it strike targets in the second island chain and farther.

These Xian H-20 Stealth Bomber images showed the weapons bay, dual tail wings that can be adjusted, two radars in the two stealth air intakes on both sides, and a front air intake, covering the surfaces are radar-absorbent material.

Read Also: Donald Trump Children: What You Need to Know About the 5 Trump Kids

The plane's shape matches the shape of the aircraft seen in the promo video last January.

Xian H-20 Stealth Bomber Capabilities

According to previous estimates, the H-20 would be armed with nuclear and conventional missiles, have a maximum take-off weight of at least 200 tons and a capacity of up to 45 tons, fly at subsonic speeds, and potentially fire four powerful hypersonic stealth cruise missiles.

What the H-20 can do was detailed and stacked by War Zone and its defense authors.

The stealth bomber will have a combat radius of 4,000 to 5,000 miles, the capacity to carry heavy weaponry loads internally, and an active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar to effectively see targets, threats, and other risks, according to the Defense Intelligence Agency, cited the Drive.

The addition of CJ-10K or CJ-20 land-attack cruise missiles, which may carry conventional or nuclear warheads, gives the H-20 more weapons. It provides China with a long-term strategic capacity and a new means of putting targets in the Pacific and Asia in danger.

According to Janes' Jon Grevatt, a warplane specialist and Asia-Pacific defense expert, thinks the revealed images show that the H-20 emphasizes stealth and distance over speed. He added the new bomber could attack targets far away and the second island chain. If the H-20 is in service, the US will not be so comfy.

Xian H-20 Stealth Bomber is the next level of the PLAAF, leveraging modern technology for the next combat level to equal the US in this respect.

Related Article: New B-21 Stealth Bomber Can Defend Itself with Air to Air Missiles