New Bomber Fleet of China's Airforce

Which bombers do you suggest or propose?

I would suggest acquiring Russian TU-160 Black Jack.
Or the TU-22M Backfire bombers.

Just to serve as a replacement for the current Chinese bomber fleet.

If the TU-95 Bear was still attractive for you maybe it can also be taken into consideration for me.

Well the Tu-160 would be a good choice, if Russia was putting it on sale. I am pretty sure it isn't right now.
But if it was, it and the Tu-22M should probably be configured to Chinese weapons and maybe engines.
I'm not sure how the Tu-22M deal a couple years back went though.

The Tu-95's of the Russians are.. old. I personally think newer H-6's can do it's role pretty well at the mo.

Of course, if the "H-8" was real then I'd say the H-8. But it's pretty dry among most people so I think the H-8 stealth bomber's not an option =P

The PLAAF has shown time and time again they are NOT looking for a supersonic heavy bomber aircraft, what is needed is a low speed, fuel efficient, high capacity bomber with a good loiter time for strategic bombing and ballistic missile launch platform capabilities. Neither the Tu-160 nor the Tu-22M offer these features as strengths and their variable geometry wings are maitenance intensive and add what many would deem, unnecessary weight to the aircraft.

the SU34 is intresting.

Semi-Lobster said:

The PLAAF has shown time and time again they are NOT looking for a supersonic heavy bomber aircraft, what is needed is a low speed, fuel efficient, high capacity bomber with a good loiter time for strategic bombing and ballistic missile launch platform capabilities. Neither the Tu-160 nor the Tu-22M offer these features as strengths and their variable geometry wings are maitenance intensive and add what many would deem, unnecessary weight to the aircraft.

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Why? Doesn't PLAAF had any plans to field supersonic heavy bomber?

I think they must have at least some 50 aircraft. Just to serve as the back bone for PLAAF bomber fleet.

Just imagine you can send these aircrafts fully loaded and armed (Nukes or conventional weapons) on patrol over the Pacific Ocean, or Indian Ocean. It will surely rattle these nations like US and Japan.

This will surely put PLAAF in the world arena to have the most powerful or fearsome airforce's in the 21st century.

Didn't the chinese several years ago try to acquire the Tu-22M(3), but were turned down by the russians? And I think later on, when the russians were willing to sell, there was no more chinese interest any more. I could be wrong on that, though.

I guess the PLAAF figured out it could do good for a while with modernizing it's H-6s, and the new J-11BS. And perhaps later on develop their own medium-heavy bomber.

Again, even the PLA has to set priorities, and a heavy, supersonic, long rang bomber is not the most urgent need right now.

If anything I would think that the Long range bomber is actually the reverse of what's needed A Coin style light bomber/ Close air support aircraft might be more in line with current operation needs.

The Su-34 is great looking bomber but I wouldn't call it long range to what I've read. It certainly isn't at the same level as what you would call it long-range like the Blackjack and the Backfire if that's what you're looking for.

TerraN_EmpirE said:

If anything I would think that the Long range bomber is actually the reverse of what's needed A Coin style light bomber/ Close air support aircraft might be more in line with current operation needs.

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A subsonic attack aircraft akin to the American A-10 or the Russian Su-25 with a good loitering performance and heavy A2G payload would be a far more cost effective replacement for the Q-5s than JH-7As and J-11s for the PLAAF. As of now though, no such aircraft seems to be on the horizon.

Is there a cost benefit to Heavy Bombers? Given that such aircraft would be used to launch cruise missiles at maximum range, I really would want to see the bottom line between any Bomber proposal and the cost of Long Range Missiles.

I have a suspicion that the Heavy Stealth Bomber concept is another example of glossy brochure pr convincing people that this is the standard to which all must aspire and be judged, when a close examination of the real figures will tell a very different story.

I wonder how many DF31a Rockets $1 Billion will buy you?