In September 1957, the Soviet Union adopted a program for the assistance and development of the armed forces of China. To strengthen the PRC Air Force, the Soviet side transferred several Tu-16 medium strategic bombers. At the same time, the increase in friction between the USSR and China in the late 1950s jeopardized many joint projects, the supply of new aircraft from the USSR to the Celestial Empire was stopped and the Chinese industry was forced to independently develop hulls and engines for them at the Xian Aircraft Company and Xian Aero factories. -Engine Corporation. For the first time fully assembled in China, the H-6 I Badger bomber took to the skies in December 1968. Since then, a huge number of different variants of this aircraft have been created, which are still outwardly indistinguishable from the base Tu-16.
At present, a copy of the Soviet Tu-16 jet bomber, which made its first flight in 1968, remains in service with the PLA Air Force. These aircraft are used in China's long-range aviation as carriers of nuclear weapons. The Xian H-6 aircraft can be safely attributed to the long-lived aircraft, which in Russia, for example, is the famous Tu-95.
The designers of the Xian company began to develop their own analogue of the Tu-16 around 1964. The model received the designation H-6A. The new Chinese-assembled jet bomber was a slightly modified version of the Soviet Tu-16s previously supplied to China, which were already based on Chinese-made components. Due to the impossibility of acquiring Soviet parts and engines, the PRC was forced to launch its own production of turbojet engines, designated Xian WP8. These aircraft engines were analogous to the Soviet RD-3M engines, which were installed on the original Tu-16. The same was the case with other components and assemblies of the Xian H-6.
After the first H-6A, built entirely of Chinese components, took to the skies at the end of 1968, the serial production of this version of the bombers began. At the same time, there is no official data on the production volumes of this aircraft in the PRC. According to various estimates, the Xian companies were able to build from 150 to 200 aircraft of this type until the middle or late 1970s. In the future, most of the aircraft built on a regular basis underwent modernization and to this day is successfully used by the Chinese Air Force.
This Chinese bomber, due to its specific "origin" in its main characteristics, was almost no different from its Soviet prototype. The maximum take-off weight of the bomber reached 75.8 tons, and the fuel tanks located in the wing and fuselage intervened up to 33 tons of aviation kerosene. The combat radius of the bomber was 1800 km. The crew of the Xian H-6A model consisted of 6 people. For self-defense, the jet bomber had an impressive artillery armament, which consisted of 7 23-mm automatic cannons (three paired). Twin gun mounts, mounted on remotely controlled turrets, were located in the tail of the aircraft, as well as on the upper and lower fuselage. Moreover, on the nose of the aircraft there was another course 23-mm cannon. The first Chinese modifications of the aircraft were only carriers of bomb armament. At the same time, the maximum bomb load did not exceed 9 tons. Initially, the main weapon of the Xian H-6 was free-fall conventional bombs, the aircraft became a carrier of nuclear weapons later.
The similarity of the characteristics of the Chinese Xian H-6 with the parameters of the Soviet Tu-16 bomber was also due to their almost identical technical appearance. So the Chinese bomber had a large aspect ratio fuselage with two crew cabins (bow and tail), fuel tanks, a cargo compartment and a compartment for various equipment. Along the sides of the fuselage were two engine nacelles, distinguished by a curved shape, their shape was due to the design features of the machine. The Xian H-6 bomber received a swept wing with smooth landing gear fairings located on the center section. A large keel was located in the tail of the vehicle, with a stabilizer on it.
For its age, the Xian H-6A aircraft was characterized by a sufficiently large range (especially by Chinese standards), which, combined with the possibility of using nuclear weapons, allowed the PLA command to give the aircraft the status of a strategic bomber. The appearance of guided missiles in the nomenclature of its weapons only contributed to the preservation of this classification of the bomber and made it possible to refine the strategy for the further combat use of the vehicle. Immediately after the completion of production of the H-6A version in China, work began on its modifications. For example, the H-6V aircraft, instead of bomb armament, carried various aerial photographic equipment for conducting reconnaissance surveys. The modification of the H-6S bomber was nothing more than the base H-6A aircraft, but with improved electronic equipment (modern electronic warfare technology with enhanced characteristics was introduced on the aircraft). There were also options for upgrading the aircraft with the letter designation from D to M. For example, the carrier of strategic cruise missiles was the Xian H-6M bomber. This aircraft was distinguished by the presence of 4 suspension points under the wing, there was no bomb bay on it. Information appeared in the press about the resumption of production of this version of the aircraft from the beginning of 2006.
The latest version of the classic H-6 bomber is the Xian H-6K variant. This version is distinguished by new Russian-made D-30KP-2 turbojet engines with a thrust of about 118 kN each, a modernized cockpit, enlarged air intakes and an enlarged radar antenna fairing, and the absence of 23 mm defensive cannons. The combat load of this model was increased to 12,000 kg. At the same time, the bomber was able to carry up to 6 cruise missiles of the CJ-10A type, which are copies of the Russian Kh-55 missile. The combat radius of action was increased from 1800 to 3000 km. The bomber of this modification made its first flight on January 5, 2007. The aircraft was adopted by the PRC Air Force in 2011. On this model, the internal bomb compartment is completely absent, and additional reserves of fuel and electronic warfare equipment were located in the freed space of the hull.
Unlike some of its predecessors, the H-6K version was not rebuilt from old aircraft, but was produced in factories from scratch. Considering the lifespan of the current bombers, the H-6K is well positioned to remain in service with the Chinese Air Force until 2052. This year will mark exactly 100 years since the original Soviet Tu-16 bomber made its first flight.
Until a certain point, all Chinese Xian H-6 bombers did not have serious nuclear deterrent capabilities. First, the lack of flight stealth and subsonic speed will not allow the bomber to break through the air defense systems of the United States, Japan and Russia. Second, until 2006, China simply did not have long-range cruise missiles in service that could be used for practical operations. For example, the main weapons of the H-6H aircraft were the YJ63 cruise missiles, whose flight range hardly exceeded 200 km. The deployment of aircraft with these missiles as part of the 10th Bomber Squadron of the PLA Air Force was aimed only at strengthening the capabilities of striking tactical targets located in Taiwan.
At the same time, the most modern version of the Xian H-6K bomber as an aviation strategic nuclear deterrent could help the PRC do much more. The combat load and flight range of this model have increased significantly due to the use of new engines with greater tractive power. In addition, the bomber acquired a reinforced fuselage structure with extensive use of modern and lighter composite materials. The external suspension units are also redesigned. The composition of the onboard radio-electronic equipment of the Chinese design, including the radar, has changed. The Xian H-6K has received new long-range cruise missiles and, although the vehicle remains subsonic, it already has significantly increased combat capabilities.
The appearance on the scene of a new version of the H6 aircraft and a new generation of long-range cruise missiles was a major event for the Chinese Air Force. The Chinese analogue of the domestic X-55 missile, when launched from the airspace of the PRC for conducting conventional offensive operations with high accuracy, has a radius of destruction covering the entire Korean Peninsula, Okinawa Island, partly Honshu Island and completely Shikoku and Kyushu Islands in Japan. In the event that a given cruise missile has a hit radius that is equivalent to the hit radius of the original Russian version of the Kh-55 missile and is 2500 km, then Xian H-6K bombers, rising from airfields located in northeastern China, are directly strike targets in Tokyo, Hokkaido and Honshu islands. In addition, such bombers, deployed as part of the 8th Bomber Squadron of the Chinese Air Force in the military district of the city of Guangzhou, are able to carry out air strikes on the American island of Guam. And thanks to the increased flight range of missiles and aircraft and against targets in Alaska.
The modernized version of the Xian H-6K is capable of launching CJ-10A cruise missiles weighing about two tons and a range of about 2-2.5 thousand kilometers. These missiles are able to develop a speed of 2500 km / h in flight. Theoretically, such an aircraft with these missiles on board is able to strike at Moscow without entering the zone of operation of the Russian air defense system. The bomber can launch cruise missiles over the territory of other states, and then return to the base.
Flight performance of Xian H-6:
Overall dimensions: length - 34, 8 m, height - 10, 36 m, wingspan - 33 m, wing area - 165 m2.
The empty weight of the aircraft is 37,200 kg.
The maximum take-off weight is 79,000 kg.
Fuel weight - up to 33 tons.
Power plant - 2xTRD Xian WP8 thrust 93, 2 kN each.
The maximum flight speed is 990 km / h.
Cruising flight speed - 770 km / h.
Combat radius of action - 1800 km.
Practical range - 4300 km.
Service ceiling - 12,800 m.
Crew - 6 people.
Armament - up to 7x23 mm Type 23-1 automatic cannons.
Maximum combat load - 9000 kg, normal - 3000 kg.
