Summary and Key Points: China’s Xi’an H-20 stealth bomber, developed by the Xi’an Aircraft Industrial Corporation, is poised to revolutionize military aviation.
-Announced in 2016, the H-20, dubbed the “Storm” by U.S. analysts, bears a striking resemblance to the U.S. B-2 Spirit. Key features include adjustable tail wings, airborne radar, radar-absorbent material, a 5,281-mile range, and a 40-ton payload capable of carrying hypersonic stealth cruise missiles.
-The H-20 aims to enhance China’s strategic bombing capabilities and alter the nuclear balance with the U.S. PLAAF Deputy Commander Wang Wei hinted at its imminent debut, intensifying the race with America’s B-21 Raider.
Soon, China Will Have a Stealth Bomber…We Think…
In military aviation, “H2O,” or more accurately, H-20, refers to a Chinese military project that, if successfully, could threaten the lives of American military personnel and the military personnel of America’s allies in the Indo-Pacific area of responsibility (AOR). We now take a look at mainland China’s Xi’an H-20 stealth bomber project.
H-20 Bomber: Initial History
The Xi’an H-20 is a prospective subsonic stealth bomber project designed by the Xi’an Aircraft Industrial Corporation (AKA Xi’an Aircraft Company Limited [XAC]; headquartered in Yanliang District, Xi’an, Shaanxi Province, adjacent to Xi’an Yanliang Airport) at the behest of the People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF).
The program was initially announced in September 2016 by then-PLAAF Chief of Staff General Ma Xiaotian. If it successfully gets off the ground (both figuratively and literally), it would signify the first strategic bomber ever developed by the People’s Republic of China (PRC).
U.S. analysts have reportedly dubbed the H-20 the “Storm.” It is contending with both America’s Northrop Grumman B-21 “Raider” and Russia’s PAK DA for dominance in next-generation stealth bombers.
And artists’ renderings of the “Storm” – such as the one gracing the cover of the June 2021 issue of the Chinese military periodical Modern Military – might raise a few eyebrows, as they bear a rather striking and awfully coincidental resemblance to America’s Northrop B-2 Spirit (the original and oh-so-controversial [due to its price tag] stealth bomber), i.e. a flying wing design.
Presumed Specifications
Not surprisingly, details are few and far between, as the PLAAF’s press organs are being pretty hush-hush about the specifics of the project.
As Aaron Spray of Simple Flying notes:
“Since then [Gen. Ma’s 2016 announcement, that is], the Air Force has not shared any additional details other than a video released by the state-owned Aviation Industry Corporation of China in 2018… Then, in 2021, the PLAAF released a video featuring the aircraft for recruitment. However, it was evident that the Air Force intended to keep details under wraps because a report from the Global Times shared that the aircraft was covered by a blanket in the videos.”
That said, analysts applying educated guesswork will incorporate the following features:
-Adjustable tail wings
-Airborne radar
-Dark gray radar-absorbent material on the outer skin
-Enhanced long-range striking capabilities, estimated at 5,281 miles (8,498.9 km)
-Internal weapons bay with a payload of more than 40 tons, including up to four hypersonic stealth cruise missiles
Mr. Spray also cites my National Security Journal colleague Brent. M. Eastwood, albeit in an article that Brent wrote for The National Interest:
“’A heavy-payload, deep-penetration bomber would help China alter the nuclear balance with the United States. There is no current arms control agreement with the United States, and Beijing is always looking for a qualitative nuclear edge over Washington,’” Eastwood noted.”
Present and Near Future Status of the H-20
In March 2024, Aadil Brar, China News Reporter for Newsweek, cited an interview with PLAAF Deputy Commander Wang Wei in the state-owned newspaper Hong Kong Commercial Daily. The interview was conducted on the sidelines of China’s “Two Sessions” meeting on Monday, and therein, Wang proudly boasted, “It’s coming soon, just wait!”
Time will tell. In the meantime, it drives home the sense of urgency for the U.S. to work the bugs out of the B-21 system and get it operational sooner rather than later.
About the Author: Christian D. Orr
Christian D. Orr is a Senior Defense Editor for National Security Journal. He is a former Air Force Security Forces officer, Federal law enforcement officer, and private military contractor (with assignments worked in Iraq, the United Arab Emirates, Kosovo, Japan, Germany, and the Pentagon). Chris holds a B.A. in International Relations from the University of Southern California (USC) and an M.A. in Intelligence Studies (concentration in Terrorism Studies) from American Military University (AMU). He has also been published in The Daily Torch , The Journal of Intelligence and Cyber Security, and Simple Flying. Last but not least, he is a Companion of the Order of the Naval Order of the United States (NOUS).