The H-6

I like big planes and I cannot lie:

The H-6 (much as its forebear the Tu-16) has proven to be a remarkably flexible platform. Sebastien Roblin of Popular Mechanics recently did a deep dive into the range of missions performed by the H-6 in Chinese service. While the H-6 no longer carries free-fall nuclear bombs (no one at this point would rely on an H-6 to penetrate enemy airspace to the extent that it could get close enough to a target to use such weapons) it does carry nuclear-capable air-launched ballistic missiles.  This gives the bomber (and, by extension, China) standoff nuclear attack capabilities across East Asia.

In addition to their nuclear capabilities, the H-6 can fulfill a wide range of conventional roles. These include long-range missile strikes against land and sea targets, maritime scouting and reconnaissance, and even maritime minelaying. Its ability to fire very long-range cruise missiles makes it a threat to land and sea-based targets deep into the Pacific. H-6s can launch missiles from relative safety, then return to base to rearm and re-equip for subsequent strikes. It is this capability that worries the US Navy, which, with the retirement of the F-14 Tomcat, gave up much of its long-range air defense capability. The H-6 can operate as part of a “system-of-systems,” including ground-launched missiles, submarines, and surface ships, to deny the US Navy access to the waters around Taiwan or any other area of conflict in the region.

Some other links:

• What will happen in the first space hostage crisis?
• China seems to have lost a nuclear attack boat.
• Retrenchment in Central Asia as Russia pulls back…
• Looks like it will be Ishiba Shigeru in Japan.
• Who doesn’t love an ICBM test?