China is developing a next-generation strategic bomber to boost airforce’s long-range capability.
The new bomber would enhance China’s long-range strike capability “with even greater strides to come.”
China’s definition of a long-range bomber is to have a minimum range of 8,000 kilometres without refuelling.
Currently, the China Air Force only has an unknown number of H-6 bombers, which were developed based on the Soviet-era Tu-16 Badger that was designed in the 1950s and retired by Russia in the early 1990s.
US Strategic Air Command has the Boeing B-52, Rockwell B-1 and the Northrop Grumman B-2 Stealth Bomber, while Russia’s Long Range Aviation Command has the Tupolev Tu-160, Tu-95 and T-22M.