The H-6K has nonignorable importance in balances in the Far East. This bomber, which increases
the strategic offensive capability of China, represents a leap forward in the evolution
of the good old Tu-16, whose NATO reporting name is Badger. For some, this leap is insignificant
and important to others. As the Weapon Detective, we are investigating the H-6K and what its
military value is. Please don't forget to subscribe to our channel,
before we start and give us a thumbs up if you like our video. To be notified of our
new video, please click the bell button. The military value of H-6K is indeed a complex
issue. It's not a technologically superior bomber, just a highly modified variant of
the 1950s-vintage Tu-16. However, as we have often emphasized in our previous videos, whether
a system works is more important than whether it is technologically superior or not. Before
analyzing the H-6K from this point of view, let's take a brief look at the history of
this bomber. The Soviet Tu-16 jet-powered strategic bomber
was introduced in 1954. Five years later, China started to produce
this aircraft under license under the name of H-6. But, the production works stopped
shortly after due to the Sino-Soviet split. With the normalization of relations between
two countries, it resumed in 1964. The first Chinese production variant of the aircraft,
H-6A, made its first flight in December 1968. This was a nuclear bomber.
However, in the same years, China was working on nuclear ballistic missiles.
So, the H-6 Programme lost its priority. Even so, the Chinese Xian company has continued
to develop and produce the newer versions of the aircraft, including nuclear/conventional
bomber, reconnaissance, anti-surface warfare, targeting, electronic warfare, and aerial
refuelling. The H-6K and its naval version, the H-6J,
are the last representatives of this adventure. The H-6K made its first flight on January
5, 2007. It entered service in 2009. The aircraft is quite different from its predecessors.
The H-6K has the D-30KP-2 turbofan engines and enlarged air inlets.
By using composite material, the weight is reduced, and structural strength is increased.
The H-6K has a modern glass cockpit with large size LCD multi-function displays.
The redesigned nose houses modern surface search radar.
Behind the radar, there is a forward-looking infrared turret.
The electronic warfare systems are replaced the tail guns.
The dorsal and ventral radomes probably house advanced communication systems.
The H-6K retains its bomb bay. But, in general use, the aircraft carries extra fuel in this
bay, while the missiles and bombs are mounted on the wing pylons.
Besides the H-6J, the later variant of the H-6K has a refuelling probe.
The crew has the HTY-6F ejection seats. The People's Liberation Army Air Force deploys
its H-6Ks inner side of the country. The 22nd Air Regiment in Shaodong, the 24th Air Regiment
in Leiyang, 28th Air Regiment in Anqing, the 108th Air Regiment in Wugong, and the 106th
Air Brigade in Dengzhou have these aircraft. Naturally, the People’s Liberation Army
Naval Air Force deploys its H-6J near the coasts. The 1st Independent Regiment in Guiping
and the 5th Independent Regiment in Changzhou have them.
There is no reliable information about the general characteristics of the H-6K.
Some sources claim that the aircraft has a 4-man crew. Some others mention 3-man. It
is estimated that the H-6K has a length of approximately 35 metres, a wingspan of 33
metres, and a height of 10.5 metres. The maximum take-off weight is about 95,000 kilograms.
Two 118 kiloNewton D-30KP-2 turbofan engines provide high subsonic speed. According to
many sources, the combat radius of the aircraft is 3,500 kilometres. But, for example, the
Kanwa Asian Defence, which is one of the most reliable magazines about the region, claims
that this radius is only 2,500 kilometres. The D-30KP-2 engine provides 30 per cent more
thrust and 20 per cent less fuel consumption than the previous H-6s WP8 engine. This means
more weapon capacity and longer range. As one of the most reliable Soviet engine,
the D-30's variants also powers the MiG-31 interceptor, as well as the Il-76 and Y-20
military transport aircraft. It is known that Chine is working on the reverse-engineered
version of the D-30, called WS-18. By aerial refuelling, the H-6K and the H-6J
can conduct attacks on the second island chain in the Pacific.
This chain contains Guam Island, where there are important naval and airforce facilities.
The H-6K can carry six CJ-10A cruise missiles, which has a range of over 1,500 kilometres,
and a circular error probable of 10 metres. This gives the People's Liberation Army Air
Force a long-range standoff offensive air capability with precision-guided munitions.
The anti-ship version of the missile, YJ-100, has a range of 800 kilometres.
In 2019, China tested a large-yield bomb, which is similar to the US GBU-43/B Massive
Ordnance Air Blast, a.k.a the mother of all bombs.
The H-6K can drop this bomb. Interestingly, the explosive material of the
GBU-43/B is called the Composition H6. The H-6J has eight underwing pylons instead
of six. In a typical mission, the aircraft is equipped with four YJ-12 and two YJ-83K
anti-ship missiles, as well as two electronic warfare pods.
The YJ-83K is a high subsonic speed anti-ship missile whose range is 180 kilometres.
The YJ-12 has a maximum speed of Mach 4 and a range of 400 kilometres.
The H-6Ks and H-6Js have been very active. Since 2012, the new Chinese bombers have repeatedly
flown over the air defence identification zone of Taiwan.
So, they have faced the interceptors of the Republic of China Air Force many times.
Again, since 2015, China has shown off over the Miyako Strait by its new bombers. This
approximately 250 kilometres wide strait is a waterway that lies between Miyako and Okinawa
Islands. It has global geopolitical significance, as
it is one of the few international waterways for the Chinese Navy to access the Pacific
Ocean from the East China Sea. Japan requires that China has to inform them
in advance if Chinese naval vessels sail through the strait. Yet, Beijing has never accepted
this requirement. So, whenever the H-6Ks and H-6Js fly over
the Miyako Strait, the Japan Air Self-Defense Force scrambles its F-15s to intercept them.
On July 23, 2019, together with two Russian Tu-95MS, two Chinese H-6Ks flew over the Japan
Sea. This time, the South Korean fighter jets also
joined the Japan Air Self-Defense Force's F-2s and F-15s to intercept them.
These bombers have also badgered the Philippines. On March 30, 2015, the H-6Ks were over the
Bashi Channel, which is a waterway between the Philippine Mavulis and the Taiwanese Orchid
Islands. On July 16, 2016, these bombers showed themselves
again near the Philippine Scarborough Shoal. China claims sovereignty over these two rocks.
As you see, the H-6K and H-6J constantly keep the other countries on the region on the hop.
They are the messengers who declare Beijing has sovereignty claims all over the East Pacific,
and China could demonstrate its power anywhere, anytime. Thanks to their long ranges and capability
of carrying long-range missiles, these bombers disturb the balance.
The USA and Japan have to distribute their air powers over a wide area against the threat
posed by the H-6K. The weak Philippine Air Force has to acquire
more capable fighters to defend its sovereignty rights.
Considering its payload and range, the H-6K multiplies China's strategic airpower over
previous H-6 models. However, unlike the B-2, this low-speed and
non-stealth aircraft does not has the capability to determine the fate of a possible battle
in the region on its own. That's why China is working on developing
an aircraft called the H-20 to rival the B-2. This will show whether its technological capability
is enough for this ambitious plan. The highly sophisticated and expensive B-2
was designed to conduct deep strikes on the Soviet Union during the 1980s. However, after
the First Cold War ended, the USA, which originally intended to buy 132 B-2s, reduced this number
to 20. Because the simple and cost-effective B-52
was enough to handle the rest of the tasks. From this perspective, the H-6K seems to also
have enough capacity for the rest of the tasks. This aircraft can rely on its own electronic
warfare systems to protect itself, just like the B-52. But, in our opinion, if the H-6K
had enough electronic warfare systems, it would have used them to show off at least
a few times until now. Still, this aircraft provides an important trump card for China
over the Pacific. A single regiment has 18 H-6Ks which can carry
over 100 YJ-12s supersonic anti-ship missiles. Let's talk about a speculative scenario.
A typical carrier strike group of the US Navy depends on its E-2 Hawkeyes as the first echelon
of its air defence. These early warning aircraft, which fly 190
kilometres ahead of the main force, can detect a threat from about 500 kilometres. Therefore,
E-2 can find the H-6K strike group before they launch their missile. So far so good.
But, there are only two F/A-18E/F, which are positioned 300 kilometres ahead of the main
force, in the air for the combat air patrol mission. They can intercept some of the hostile.
Until other Super Hornets scramble, the other H-6Ks can launch their missiles.
While at least 50 YJ-12 cruise supersonically towards the carrier strike group, the Aegis
ship begin to fire their SM-6 missiles. However, currently, most of the Aegis ships
can illuminate only three or four targets. If 20 YJ-12 manage to avoid the SM-6s, the
Phalanxas can intercept them at the range of 1500 metres. Even if these close weapon
systems manage to destroy all the missiles, the splinters would still damage the fleet.
China would sacrifice 18 H-6Ks to hurt a US carrier strike force. Of course, this is not
an inevitable scenario. But, this nightmarish possibility forces the
US Navy to modernize its existent Aegis fleet and increase its interception capability.
In another scenario, let's give the YJ-100 missiles with a range of 800 kilometres a
role. In this scenario, the H-6Ks can fire their missiles before being detected by the
E-2s. But, 800 kilometres is a very long range.
Another aircraft is needed to detect and illuminate targets beforehand.
The Hawkeyes easily locates this aircraft, and the Super Hornets shoot down it quickly.
Also, for ship-based air defence systems, it is much easier to hunt the subsonic YJ-100s
than the YJ-12s. The USA would have no trouble protecting the
islands in the second chain from a possible H-6K raid.
An attack with subsonic missiles could only be really destructive if they are equipped
with nuclear warheads. But, this turns into a completely different scenario which is a
nuclear apocalypse. Just like other strategic bombers, the H-6K
gives China the chance to attack targets outside and behind the front.
Thus, it forces the opponents to keep some of their aircraft and air defence systems
to areas outside the front. Technologically speaking, the H-6K does not
represent a significant achievement. It is a barely modern weapon system. However, with
this aircraft, China forces its opponents to make new moves on the chessboard, and it
blocks the movements of some chess pieces. In this perspective, the H-6K is a considerably
successful weapon system with a high military value.
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