In this era of rapid changes in military equipment, every flight affects the hearts of countless military fans. Recently, the news that the H-6K bomber carrying 4 "aircraft carrier killer" YJ-21 hypersonic missiles lifted off has once again pushed this veteran to the forefront. Is it the hard wounds exposed, or is the numerical superiority turning the tide? Today, let's talk about this topic.
1. Boom 6K: Lao Ji is in the bush, and his ambitions are thousands of miles
H-6K, the "veteran" in the H-6 series, although it is no longer the brightest star in the family, but in the equipment sequence of the PLA, its number is still considerable. Imagine that hundreds of H-6K are ready to go, that scene, spectacular, isn't it? But then again, the veteran's heart, the Russian-made D-30 turbofan engine, has a thrust of 13.5 kN, but the twin-engine configuration limits its maximum take-off weight. It's like putting gloves on an old boxing champion, and although the power is still there, it's inevitably a bit restrictive to wield it.
Second, the bomb is hard wounded: it is a shortcoming, and it is also helpless
When it comes to the bomb load of the H-6K, it is a pain in the hearts of many military fans. Theoretically, it can be loaded with 15 tons, but in practice, in order to ensure long-range combat capability, it can usually only be hung about 9 tons. It's like going hiking with a big backpack full of stuff but you still have to have some strength to walk, right?
What's even more embarrassing is that the 9-ton bomb load, in the conventional mount mode, is not as good as the J-16 heavy fighter. J-16 that kid can easily hang more than 12 tons, and he can also play a variety of missile combination punches, which makes people have to sigh: The future is terrifying!
3. Numerical advantage: win by quantity, saturation attack
However, the H-6K is not vegetarian either. Although the single bomb load is insufficient, the number of people is superior. The People's Liberation Army has more than 200 H-6K in its hands, and it is a headache for the enemy to play saturation attacks.
Imagine that dozens of H-6Ks took off at the same time, carrying YJ-21 hypersonic missiles, that picture is simply a "meteor shower in the sky", so that the US aircraft carrier fleet has to retreat. After all, the Eagle Strike 21's flight speed of more than Mach 8 is not a joke, and the Burke-class battleship wants to stop it? It's hard!
Fourth, the future outlook: H-20, where are you?
Of course, for the PLA, the H-6K is only a transitional product after all. As the strategic needs continue to increase, a new bomber platform is particularly important. H-20, a name with high hopes, frequently appears in various rumors. It is said that this guy is ahead of the American B-21 bomber, and the research and development progress will naturally be steady. Although the wait is anxious, I am still a little excited to think about what kind of air giant it will be.
H-6K, although the veteran's bomb wounds are exposed, he can still play an important role on the battlefield with his numerical superiority. And the H-20 is like a rising star, which makes people full of expectations. In this era of rapid change, we have witnessed too many miracles happening. Whose stage will be in the sky of the future? Let's wait and see!