China’s Xian Aircraft Corp. is developing a new strategic bomber that may be a ‘flying wing’ design called the Xian H-20. Certain contributions to the H-20 project were made by Noshir Gowadia, a design engineer who previously worked for Northrop Grumman. He also contributed to the B-2 Spirit development. In 2011, he was convicted to 32 years for selling classified information to China.
China’s definition of long-range strategic bomber is a minimum range of 8,000 km (5,000 miles) without refueling and the capacity to carry a payload of more than 10 tons of air-to-ground ammunition
China may be working on a new supersonic theater bomber, sometimes called H-18. This may be similar to a US B1 bomber.
China is developing new power-projection platforms and new-technology weapons.
China’s air force continues to progress with the Chengdu J-20 stealth fighter, expected to enter service in 2017-18, with four more pre-production aircraft having flown in the past year for a total of eight flight-test assets. Fourth-generation Chengdu J-10B and Shenyang J-11D and J-16 fighters will continue testing toward near-term production. A new strategic bomber, the Xian H-20, will also continue development, and a unique twin-fuselage UAV, the Shenyang Divine Eagle, was seen undergoing tests in May 2015.
SOURCES – Washington times, Wikipedia, Aviation week
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