H-20 bomber (with H-X, JH-XX)

Bltizo said:

The 051Cs have not undergone refit as far as I'm aware -- you might be talking about the single 051B (or possibly the two 052s).

Still, your overall point stands.

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We know that the Type 052s (112 and 113) have gone through refit/modernization. We also know that the Type 051B (167) has just finished refit/modernization.

One or two of the Sovs are currently undergoing refit (136 and 137).

At some point I believe they will do a similar refit to the other two Sovs (138 and 139), and perhaps to the Type 052Bs (168 and 169) to bring all of those "Sovs" up to the same standard.

The Type 051Cs are another matter.

They already have the VLS and decent missiles, the Chinese sensors, the Chinese CIWS, etc. which are the types of things these refits are addressing. They may not need such a strong refit.

Regular maintenance? Yes. Mid-life update? Yes. But perhaps not a need for a specific modernization refit like these others.

AssassinsMace said:

Pardon I forget whose work is whose. The "H-18" appeared as an AVIC model at an expo which was very similar to the CAD renderings that came out first. That's why it carries a little more weight and why it even reached some international media outlets. Whoever did the CAD work also came out with similar renderings of the Divine Dragon UAV before the prototype came out.

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I was referring to GrassRoots drawing that came out last September, I think you're referring to that famous picture of the model of the H-18 that came out back in 2013.

But if GrassRoots did create those CAD drawings before the photo of the model was leaked, I think its safe to say he has some sort of connections with people within AVIC/SAC, making his September drawing more likely to have some meaning to it, hopefully we get some more leaks this September .

Not sure if this information is really all that useful anymore, but according to Henri K, SAC started the preliminary development of the H-18 in 2011 and he also mentioned "before transferring the latest project at the 603 institute" on his website:

Link:

While the article in itself is about a 6th Generation Chinese fighter project, yet whoever gave the presentation just put in a CGI of the H-18.

Interesting ... Does that mean now there is hope for the H-18 to see the light of the day someday?

Deino

Deino said:

Interesting ... Does that mean now there is hope for the H-18 to see the light of the day someday?

Deino

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I think only time will tell with that unfortunately, but following this new piece of information from Henri K, I'm beginning to think that the bomber development program went something along like this:

We know that there was two proposals under consideration by the PLAAF, one a supersonic and the other a flying wing, and before, we just assumed that the PLAAF just chose the flying wing design and abandoned the other, supersonic, one, but since Henri K is saying that the H-18 started development in 2011 and previous rumors also said that the PLAAF chose the configuration of the flying wing in 2011 as well, what if the PLAAF chose both?

The timing lines up for the most part, and the H-18 definitely matches the description of the supersonic design, I know that while previous rumors stated that it was a supersonic design with canards, SAC probably changed the designs somewhat leading to the H-18, however that is just speculation on my part.

Institute 603 taking charge of the H-18 design work is interesting.

Aviation Week also mentioned that sixth generation fighter slide, which suggests that it's a genuine piece from that US govt conference.

But I really do not understand why they chose a H-18 artwork to show a "Chinese 6th generation fighter" !???




Deino

Laziness is my guess. Or the impression that anything put out by China that resembles a "sixth generation fighter", no matter the actual platform, is 'good enough' for a briefing.

Skywatcher said:

Institute 603 taking charge of the H-18 design work is interesting.

Aviation Week also mentioned that sixth generation fighter slide, which suggests that it's a genuine piece from that US govt conference.

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Does that mean XAC is developing two bombers simultaneously?

That would be a bit surprising, since XAC already had/has a lot on its hands, Y-20 and variants (Tanker, AWACS), H-20, and now potentially the H-18.

And if it is true, SAC will basically be only developing the Flanker variants and almost nothing else.

Albeit to be fair, XAC does have more experience developing medium-large aircraft with the H-6's and recently Y-20.

If SAC doesn't get the J-31 contract, it could be in the same boat as Boeing, without any manned combat programs once the Flanker variants wrap up.