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

Deino

Lieutenant General
Staff member
Super Moderator
Registered Member
Supposedly the H-20's iron bird test rig:

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Dafengcao connects it to the KJ-600 AEW and not the H-XX:

A retired PLA General visited an aircraft's iron bird testbed at AVIC 1st aircraft design institute, the aircraft, which is supposed to be the carrier-borne AEW a/c H600.

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taxiya

Brigadier
Registered Member
A 3-D printed piece, which could be part of the engine-airframe interface of the H-20. This is still unconfirmed, however.

View attachment 48928

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View attachment 48930
The 3D printed piece should not be the implementation of the CG diagram. The diagram has the third air duct for boundary layer which is not on the 3D printed piece. But by the size of it, the 3D printed piece could be very likely (almost certain) for H-20, that indicates that H-20 may be using DSI bump to deal with boundary layer.

Another thing is that there seems to be no structure for attachment to other part of the fuselage. I wonder if this is just a piece to test the construction method rather than a real (final) component for an aircraft.
 

SinoSoldier

Colonel
The 3D printed piece should not be the implementation of the CG diagram. The diagram has the third air duct for boundary layer which is not on the 3D printed piece. But by the size of it, the 3D printed piece could be very likely (almost certain) for H-20, that indicates that H-20 may be using DSI bump to deal with boundary layer.

Yes, I've noticed that as well; it could very well be that the CG may not fully represent the H-20 in its final form. Alternatively, the hole for the boundary layer air duct may not have been cut yet.
 

taxiya

Brigadier
Registered Member
some more 3D prints made by AVIC that demonstrates how far and realistic 3D printing has gone in aircraft making.
1_6643076872.jpg
 

taxiya

Brigadier
Registered Member
Yes, I've noticed that as well; it could very well be that the CG may not fully represent the H-20 in its final form. Alternatively, the hole for the boundary layer air duct may not have been cut yet.
I agree with the bold texts.
The alternative is less likely or impossible IMO, because "drilling" a hole of that size defeats the idea of 3D printing, I am sure the other two holes are printed not drilled.
 

Sunbud

Junior Member
Registered Member
This is supposed to be a platform to replace the H-6. It does not need to be that stealthy. What it does need is to have further reach and be produced in larger numbers. The flying wing configuration is well suited to long distance strike bomber platforms. This has been recognized since at least WW2. They can carry more fuel or payload than a standard configuration. I wonder which kind of engines they will use though. Are they going to make this a quad engine aircraft or a dual engine aircraft? AFAIK they do not have single engines with enough performance for a long distance bomber. So I suspect it will be a quad engine. But this will make it more expensive than the H-6. But this makes it highly likely it will never be built in large numbers in that case.

I still think they need a fast strike bomber ala Tu-22M.
Then again, it is important to remember that stealth is the new future basic capability that aircraft should have. If an aircraft does not have extensive stealth capabilities, IT would be the of one out in he battlefield of the future.
 

plawolf

Lieutenant General
Longer range means nothing if you are shot down long before you can get within weapons release range.

China does not have the global bases and carrier fleet needed to mount effective escorts for bombs on long range strike missions.

Add to that the naval and air power of its principle adversaries means a conventional bomber is extremely unlikely to survive long enough to complete its strike missions even with heavy fighter escort.

Speed and stealth are the only two viable options, and China is pursuing both, with a subsonic stealth bomber, which should be ready in the near to medium term, and hypersonic near space strike vehicles for the medium to long term.
 
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