5 Fast Facts About China's Long-Serving Xi'an H-6 Bomber (2024)

The Xi’an H-6 bomber is one of the backbones of the People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF), China’s aerial service branch, which was established in November 1949. While the PLAAF introduced the H-6 in the 1960s, it has remained in active service to this day, pointing to the bomber’s longevity or China’s inability to produce a replacement bomber.

5 Licensed Tupolev Tu-16 aircraft

Licensed in: 1950s

• Tupolev Tu-16 first flight: 1952
• Xi’an H-6 first flight: 1959

According to the OE Data Integration Network (ODIN), an official website built by the United States Army (USA), the Soviet Union delivered the Tu-16 to China in 1958, and shortly after, the Xi'an Aircraft Industrial Corporation (XAC) began a licensed production of the aircraft. The company designated it as the H-6, which flew for the first time in 1959. The first domestically built H-6 was produced in 1968.

Photo: slava296 | Shutterstock

ODIN pointed out that China has built at least 150 bombers since it began production at the plant in Xian, China, into the 1990s, with current estimates indicating that China operates at least 120 H-6s. However, the latest version, designated as the H-6N, is a heavily redesigned version capable of aerial refueling and carrying air-launched cruise missiles.

4 Two non-China operators

Total operators of the Xi’an H-6: three

Foreign operators:

• Egyptian Air Force (EAF, القوات الجوية المصرية)
• Iraqi Air Force (IQAF, القوات الجوية العراقية)

While the Soviets licensed the production to China, the country had also exported the H-6 to two foreign operators, namely the Egyptian Air Force (EAF, القوات الجوية المصرية) and the Iraqi Air Force (IQAF, القوات الجوية العراقية). Both of them have already retired or were 'forced' to retire their H-6s.

Photo:James Gordon | Wikimedia Commons

According to a paper by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), a Washington, D.C.-based think tank, Iraq had four H-6 aircraft which were destroyed while they were in service. However, it remains unclear how many aircraft the Egyptians have received, with Air Power Australia saying that the EAF imported H-6 for spare parts for its Tupolev Tu-16.

3 Nuclear capability

First aerial nuclear test: 1964

Nuclear-capable H-6 variants:

• H-6
• H-6A
• H-6E

ODIN stated that China tested the nuclear capabilities of the Xi’an H-6 for the first time on May 14, 1965. Several variants were developed specifically to carry nuclear armaments, including the H-6, H-6A, and H-6E, with the latter entering service in 1980.

Photo:Andrei Shmatko| Wikimedia Commons

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But the network highlighted that with the development of China’s ballistic missile technology and arsenal, the importance of the H-6’s nuclear capabilities has greatly diminished. By 1976, the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) had concluded that the H-6 was now being used as a nuclear and conventional bomber.

2 Several different variants

Type variations: bomber and aerial refueler

Variants defined by ODIN:

• H-6A
• H-6B
• H-6C
• H-6D
• H-6E
• H-6F
• H-6G
• H-6H
• H-6K
• H-6J
• H-6M
• H-6N
• HY-6
• HY-6D

ODIN described more than a dozen H-6 variants that China has developed over the years, which include an aerial reconnaissance variant, upgraded aircraft (H-6C, H-6F), anti-ship aircraft, nuclear bomber, targeting data relay, and the H-6N, which was in use as of 2019. The latter is used as an air-launched ballistic missile carrier, with a semi-recessed area hard point under its fuselage. Furthermore, the variant is capable of participating in aerial refueling missions.

In general, the H-6 is manned by four crew members, with the two-engined bomber being initially powered by the Chinese-made Xian WP-8 engines. When the Chinese developed the H-6K variant, the bomber was then powered by two Soloviev D-30 engines, now known as the Aviadvigatel PS-30.

Photo: Fasttailwind | Shutterstock

ODIN estimated the range of the aircraft to be 3,700 nautical miles (6,000 kilometers), while the maximum speed of the aircraft is 650 miles per hour (786 kilometers per hour). The maximum bomb payload is 20,000 pounds (9,000 kilograms), with four different bombs being available for use for the H-6.

Lastly, the PLAAF has used two variants of the H-6, namely the HY-6 and HY-6D, as aerial refueling aircraft. The network highlighted that the HY-6 was the first H-6 variant to be developed for these types of missions, yet still retained the PV-23 fire system that enables it to be deployed as a missile launcher.

1 Replaced by the H-20

H-20 unveiled in: 2016

Aircraft characteristics:

• Debut sometime in the 2030s
• Stealth design, with fifth-generation technologies
• Range of at least 4,589 nautical miles (8,500 kilometers)
• Payload of 10 metric tons (22,046 pounds)
• Nuclear capability

While there have been a few developments since China first mentioned the H-20 in 2016, a Global Times report quoted Wang Wei, the deputy commander of the PLAAF, as saying that the aircraft was worth waiting for. According to Wei, there are no bottlenecks related to the development of the aircraft, and the country’s scientific researchers are progressing well, with the commander adding that the H-20 will be unveiled to the public soon.

Meanwhile, a Department of Defense (DoD) report outlined the potential specifications of the H-20, as well as the fact that it could make its debut in the next decade. The aircraft should feature a stealth design with fifth-generation technologies, a likely range of 4,589 NMI (8,500 KM), a payload of at least ten metric tons (22,046 pounds), and the capability to carry nuclear weapons.

Photo: USAF

Preliminary renderings of the aircraft show the H-20 featuring a similar body shape as the B-2, and its successor, the B-21 bomber. The same Global Times report highlighted that the United States had already begun the low-rate production of the B-21.