… aka to determine for themselves when the West can photograph these latest toys and when not.
H-20 bomber (with H-X, JH-XX)
- Thread starter Deino
- Start date
… aka to determine for themselves when the West can photograph these latest toys and when not.
of course that's true. By the way, both soviets and americans knew when american/soviet spy satellite would fly overhead and plan accordingly. But today it could be that americans with its advanced satellites can keep 24/7 surveillance on key bases in the northern hemisphere. But I doubt that americans have achieved 24/7 surveillance on the chinese bases. Anyways, if the "window" was around tens of minutes in the cold war, today I am sure the "window" is much shorter. By the way, what's the logic behind hiding a bomber? to hide a bomber should be damn expensive and impractical, especially if you plan to produce the bomber in large quantities.
Given that USAF has shown so little of B-21 publicly, I'm not sure H-20 (when it does fly) will have photos coming out (like J-36 project). It might be several years before PLAAF decide they are okay to give us a real clear photo.
In a group chat, I once joked that the H-20 should be renamed H-30. Both to signify it was redesigned and because of the newer systems leaving the designation "20" behind. The KJ-3000, J-36, J-35, etc are the new systems. The H-20 just feels like an aircraft that enters service around 2020 to me. Not that this is important but I believe it becoming the H-30 would be appropriate.
Complete speculation: what if we no longer have H-20 but a heavy multi role combatant? Something large and strategic ranged, but capable of decent speed. The roles not limited to strike, but also commanding drones, launch AAM, carry self defense missiles, etc. Perhaps it will use its incredible electricity generation like an AWAC too? There will be a roomy interior to faciliate command of dozens of drones, many crews inside. The bombing bay itself may not be so large. Emphasize just fitting a few oversized strategic munitions, volume deemphsiazed. Strike volume will be decentralized to smaller drone swarms.
If J-36 is air cruiser then H-20 is a air mothership?
If J-36 is air cruiser then H-20 is a air mothership?
I have been talking about H-20 having such a role for a long time. H-20 could be like a stealthy AWACS that is also capable of launching ultra long range AAMs. It could also be supersonic to have even more relevance in Air battles. But even a subsonic H-20 with a very large powerful radar will be a significant capability boost compared to even the J-36.
The alternative role for H-20 is to be a much larger stealthy Bomber compared B-2 and have ranges similar to B-52/Tu-95 and therefore capable of hitting CONUS. This will not overlap with GJ-X, which is B-21 sized and likely do not have the range to hit CONUS.