Xian H-20 - Wikipedia

Military aircraft by Xi'an

H-20
General information
Type	Stealth strategic bomber
National origin	People's Republic of China
Manufacturer	Xi'an Aircraft Industrial Corporation[1]
Status	Under development
Primary user	People's Liberation Army Air Force

The Xi'an H-20 (Chinese: 轰-20; pinyin: Hōng-20; alternatively Xi'an H-X) is a projected subsonic stealth bomber design of the People's Liberation Army Air Force. It is referred to as a strategic project by the People's Liberation Army,[2][3] and will be the first dedicated strategic bomber developed by China.[4]

The development of a strategic bomber was revealed in September 2016.[3]

Design and development

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In 2016, People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) general Ma Xiaotian announced that China was developing a new type of long-range bomber on the air force's open day.[5] In 2018, a Chinese military spokesperson confirmed the development was making "great progress".[6]

According to the United States Department of Defense, the H-20 is expected to be a flying wing[7] with a range of at least 8,500 km and a payload capacity of at least 10 tonnes;[7] according to the RAND Corporation, an American funded thinktank, it will allow China "to reliably threaten U.S. targets within and beyond the Second Island Chain, to include key U.S. military bases in Guam and Hawaii."[8] The payload is projected to be at least 10 tonnes of conventional or nuclear weapons.[7]

Throughout the years, multiple models and computer-generated pictures have surfaced on the internet, some published by magazines run by state-owned defense companies.[9][10] Defense analysts have noted several recurring features on these models, including serrated air intakes, cranked-kite wings, and foldable twin tail surfaces that can be switched between being horizontal tailplanes and V-tails.[11][12]

In July 2022, Chinese state media suggested the H-20 was close to taking its maiden flight.[13][14]

In March 2024, during the second session of the 14th National People's Congress, vice commander of the People's Liberation Army Air Force, Wang Wei, indicated that H-20 will be revealed "very soon".[15][16] In December 2024, it was indicated that the new bomber may not be fully operational until the 2030s.[17] In January 2025, some images on Chinese social media indicated that test flights of the new bomber had potentially taken place but were not officially confirmed.[18][19]

See also

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• JH-XX

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era

• Northrop Grumman B-2 Spirit
• Northrop Grumman B-21 Raider
• Tupolev PAK DA

Related lists

• List of bomber aircraft

References

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Citations

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1. ^ Grossman et al.: page 51
2. ^ Franz-Stefan Gady (July 13, 2015). "China Wants to Develop a New Long-Range Strategic Bomber". The Diplomat.
3. ^ a b Grossman et al.: page 50
4. ^ United States Department of Defense (1 August 2020). Annual Report To Congress: Military and Security Developments Involving the People's Republic of China 2020 (PDF) (Report).
5. ^ "China says developing new type of long-range bomber". Reuters. 2 September 2016.
6. ^ Trevithick, Joseph (15 October 2018). "China Reportedly Plans To Unveil H-20 Stealth Bomber At Air Force Anniversary Parade In 2019". The Drive.
7. ^ a b c "Military and Security Developments Involving the People's Republic of China" (PDF). Office of the Secretary of Defense.
8. ^ Grossman et al.: page 54
9. ^ Mizokami, Kyle (9 April 2018). "Is This China's Stealth Bomber?". Popular Mechanics.
10. ^ Huang, Kristin (25 May 2021). "China's mysterious H-20 strategic bomber 'may be able to strike second island chain'". South China Morning Post.
11. ^ Newdick, Thomas (22 August 2022). "Do These Models Provide A Glimpse Of China's Future H-20 Bomber? (Updated)". The Drive.
12. ^ Larson, Caleb (24 February 2022). "Why China's New H-20 Stealth Bomber Could Change Everything". 1945.
13. ^ Kadidal, Akhil (13 July 2022). "China's H-20 stealth bomber close to first flight". Janes.
14. ^ Honrada, Gabriel (14 July 2022). "China's H-20 stealth bomber ready for take-off". Asia Times.
15. ^ Deputy Commander of the Air Force "spoilers" about the H-20: There is no technical bottleneck, it's coming soon, just wait.
16. ^ Deputy Commander of the Air Force: The new generation strategic bomber-H-20 will be announced to the public!
17. ^ Trevithick, Joseph (2024-12-18). "China's H-20 Stealth Bomber Unlikely To 'Debut' Until 2030s, According To U.S. Intel". The War Zone. Retrieved 2025-06-18.
18. ^ Tirpak, John (2025-01-07). "Has China's Secret H-20 Stealth Bomber Broken Cover?". Air & Space Forces Magazine. Retrieved 2025-06-18.
19. ^ "Alleged H-20 stealth bomber shown on Chinese social media". Air Data News. 2025-01-04. Retrieved 2025-06-18.

Sources

[edit]

• Grossman, Derek; Beauchamp-Mustafaga, Nathan; Ma, Logan; Chase, Michael S. (2018). China's Long-Range Bomber Flights: Drivers and Implications (PDF) (Report). RAND Corporation. ISBN 978-1-9774-0083-3. Retrieved 24 December 2021.
• Office of the United States Secretary of Defense (2021). Military and Security Developments Involving the People's Republic of China (PDF) (Report). Retrieved 24 December 2021.

External links

[edit]

• "The PLA Air Force's "Silver-Bullet" Bomber Force | Jamestown". jamestown.org. Retrieved 2017-07-30.

v t e AVIC aircraft and aero engines
Fighter and attack aircraft	J-5 J-6 J-7 J-8 J-9 J-10 JF-17 Q-5 J-11 J-15 J-16 J-20 J-35
Bombers	H-6 JH-7 H-20
Trainers	AG100 CJ-6 CJ-7 JL-8 JL-9 JL-10
Transport aircraft	Y-7 Y-8 Y-9 Y-11 Y-12 Y-20
Commercial aircraft	AG600 C909 C919 C929 (under development) Y-12 MA60 MA600 MA700
Civilian airship	AS700
Helicopters	Advanced Heavy Lifter AC313 AC332 AC352 CA-109 HC-120 WZ-10 WZ-19 Z-5 Z-8 Z-9 Z-11 Z-18 Z-20
Ultralight aircraft	Lucky Bird
UAVs and UCAVs	BZK-005 Dark Sword GJ-11 Wing Loong WZ-7 WZ-10
Engines	CJ-1000A WS-9 WS-10 WS-20 WS-11 WS-13 WS-19 WS-15
Missiles	PL-2 PL-5 PL-8 PL-9 PL-10 PL-12 PL-15 PL-17
Miscellaneous	Baidi Type-B

v t e Chinese People's Liberation Army bomber designations
Hōng "H"(Bomber)	H-1 through H-41 H-5 H-6 H-7 H-8 H-9 through H-191 H-20
Jiān hōng "JH"(Fighter-bomber)	JH-1 through JH-61 JH-7
Shuǐ hōng "SH"(Water bomber)	SH-1 through SH-41 SH-5
Export	"B" B-5 B-6 "FBC" FBC-1
Relateddesignations	HYJ-7
1 Unknown/not assigned

v t e Chinese military aircraft
Fighters	Multiroleand strike J-50* J-36* J-35 J-20 J-15 J-16 J-10B J-11B J-10 FC-1 JH-7 Su-30MK2 Su-30MKK Su-35S Air superiorityand interceptor J-50* J-36* J-35 J-20 J-11D* J-10B J-15 J-13 J-12 J-11 J-9 J-8 J-7 J-6 J-5 J-2 MiG-9 Su-27SK Ground attack Q-5 Q-6 Electronic warfare J-16D J-15D
Bombers	H-20* H-8 H-7 H-6 H-5 Tu-14 Tu-2
AEW&C and EW	Traditional aeroplanes KJ-600 KJ-500 KJ-2000 Y-9JZ ELINT Y-8CB Y-8DZ Y-8G Y-8GX3 Y-8JB Y-8T Y-8W Y-8EW ZDK03 Y-8J KJ-200 Y-7 AWACS KJ-1 AEWC An-30 Stratospheric airships CIOMP stratospheric airship
Tankers	YY-20 HY-6 Il-78
Reconnaissance	JZ-8 JZ-7 JZ-6 JZ-5 HZ-5 Tu-154M
Transport	Strategic Y-20 Y-9 Y-8 Il-76 Y-7 Maritime Patrol KQ-200 Y-8EX SH-5 Tactical Y-9 Y-12 Y-11 Y-8 Y-7 Y-6 Y-5 CL 601 Tu-154
Trainers	JL-10 JL-9 JL-8 JJ-7 JJ-6 JJ-5 JJ-2 JJ-1 CJ-7* CJ-6 CJ-5 Yak-11
Helicopters	Attack Z-21* Z-19 Z-10 Z-9W Z-11W Transportand utility Z-20 Z-18 Z-15* Z-11 Z-9 Z-8 Mi-8 Mi-171 Z-6 Z-5 ASW Z-20F Z-18F Z-9C Z-8 Ka-28
UAVs and UCAVs	Tactical WZ-6 CASIC Blade MALE CASC Rainbow Harbin BZK-005 Tengden TB-001 HALE WZ-7 WZ-8 WZ-9 WZ-10 CIOMP stratospheric airship Combat BA-5 GJ-1 GJ-2 GJ-11 Dark Sword* List of unmanned aerial vehicles of China
* = Under development or official military designation not revealed Italicized = Retired or cancelled Lists: Aircraft Military aircraft UAVs

v t e Countries producing stealth aircraft
Stealth technology
UnitedStates	Experimental Boeing Model 853-21 Quiet Bird Boeing–Sikorsky RAH-66 Comanche Boeing Bird of Prey Boeing X-32 Boeing X-45 F-19 Lockheed Have Blue Lockheed YF-22 Lockheed Martin FB-22 Lockheed Martin X-35 Lockheed Martin X-44 MANTA McDonnell Douglas A-12 Avenger II Northrop Tacit Blue Northrop Grumman X-47B Northrop YF-23 Fighters Boeing F-47 Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II Bombers Northrop B-2 Spirit Northrop Grumman B-21 Raider Attack Lockheed F-117 Nighthawk UAVs General Atomics MQ-20 Avenger Boeing MQ-25 Stingray Boeing Phantom Ray Lockheed Martin Sea Ghost Lockheed Martin RQ-170 Sentinel Northrop Grumman RQ-180 Kratos XQ-58 Valkyrie General Atomics XQ-67A
Australia	UAVs Boeing MQ-28 Ghost Bat
China	Experimental JH-XX Chengdu J-36 Shenyang J-XD Fighters Chengdu J-20 Shenyang J-35 Bombers Xi'an H-20 UAVs Hongdu GJ-11 AVIC Dark Sword CAIG Wing Loong-10 CASC Rainbow-7 FL-71
Russia	Experimental Yakovlev Yak-43 Sukhoi Su-47 Mikoyan Project 1.44 Fighters Mikoyan LMFS Mikoyan PAK DP Sukhoi Su-57 Sukhoi Su-75 Checkmate Sukhoi/HAL FGFA Bombers Tupolev PAK DA UAVs Mikoyan Skat Sukhoi S-70 Okhotnik-B
UnitedKingdom	Experimental British Aerospace P.125 BAE Systems Replica UAVs BAE Systems Taranis
Japan	Experimental Mitsubishi X-2 Shinshin
European Union	UAVs Dassault nEUROn
Türkiye	Fighters TAI TF Kaan UAVs Bayraktar Kızılelma TAI Anka-3
South Korea	Fighters KAI KF-21 Boramae
India	UAVs DRDO Ghatak

v t e Nuclear weapons program of China
Sites	Organization Second Ministry of Machine Building Ninth Institute China Institute of Atomic Energy China National Nuclear Corporation Production Lanzhou uranium enrichment plant 816 Nuclear Military Plant Baotou nuclear fuel plant Jiuquan reactor site Testing Lop Nur Logistics Underground Great Wall of China
Scientists	Chen Nengkuan Cheng Kaijia Deng Jiaxian Guo Yonghuai Peng Huanwu Qian Sanqiang Wang Daheng Wang Ganchang Wu Ziliang Yu Min Zhou Guangzhao Zhu Guangya
Delivery	Air Bombers H-5 H-6 H-8 H-20 Fighters Q-5 JH-7 Su-30 Air-launched ballistic missiles Jinglei-1 Land Dongfeng ballistic missiles Intermediate DF-26 Intercontinental DF-5 DF-27 DF-31 DF-41 DF-61 Cruise missiles Sea Julang submarine-launched ballistic missiles JL-1 JL-2 JL-3
Notable tests	Fission (including boosted) 596 596L KB-1 Thermonuclear 629 639 524
History	Taiwan Strait Crises First Second Third Fourth Two Bombs, One Satellite Sino-Soviet split Crisis Cultural Revolution Third Front Cox Report Trial of Wen Ho Lee Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty
Related articles	People's Liberation Army Air Force Rocket Force Submarine Force Underground Project 131 Underground City (Beijing)