The Xian H-20 is one of three next-gen stealth bombers set to take to the skies in the next five to ten years, intensifying the arms race over the Pacific
And now, observers say the Xian H-20 could make its first public appearance at this year’s Zhuhai Airshow in November, as long as the Covid-19 pandemic remains contained.
The Xi’an Aviation Industrial Corporation went so far as to release a promotional video in May 2018 that parodied Northrop Grumman’s own Superbowl ad for the B-21 Raider. The H-20 is rumoured to be similar in size and general layout to the B-21, but there are no confirmed images of the nuclear-capable aircraft.
The H-20 reportedly has four non-afterburning WS-10A Taihang turbofan engines sunk into the top of the wing surface with inlets that are in an S-shaped saw-toothed configuration to minimise radar visibility.
With an operational rage of 12,000 m (about 7500 miles) the Xian H-20 could potentially change the balance of military power in the Pacific theatre.
The H-20, the B-21 and Russia’s Tupolev PAK DA are all broadly similar next-gen stealth bombers. The Chinese and American aircraft are both scheduled to take to the skies in 2025, with the Russian bomber expected two years later.
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