Xian H-6
Summary
| Category | Bombers |
| Origin country | 🇨🇳 China |
| Manufacturer | Xian |
| First flight | 27 September 1959 |
| Year introduced | 1959 |
| Number produced | 231 units |
Technical specifications
| Version: H-6 | |
|---|---|
| Crew | 4 crew members |
| Operational range | 6,000 km (3,728 mi) |
| Maximum speed | 1050 km/h (652 mph) |
| Wing area | 165 m² (1776.0 sqft) |
| Wingspan | 33 m (108.3 ft) |
| Height | 10.4 m (34.0 ft) |
| Length | 34.8 m (114.2 ft) |
| Service ceiling | 12,800 m (41,995 ft) |
| Empty weight | 37,200 kg (82,012 lbs) |
| Max. takeoff weight | 95,000 kg (209,439 lbs) |
| Powerplant | 2 x Soloviev D-30KP-2 delivering 59 kN each |
Current operating countries
Armament
Missiles payload:
- Air-to-Surface YJ-63
- Cruise Missiles CJ-10
- Anti-Ship YJ-12
- Air-to-Surface CH-AS-X-13
- Air-to-Surface JL-1
- Anti-Ship YJ-21
- Anti-Ship C-601
- Cruise Missiles KD-20
- Cruise Missiles KD-63
Bombs payload:
- Unguided Free-fall bombs
- Guided GB6
- Guided CS/BBC5
- Guided GB2A
- Guided GB5
- Nuclear gravity bomb
Description
The Xi'an H-6 is a Chinese twin-engine jet heavy bomber manufactured by the Xi'an Aircraft Industrial Corporation. It is a license-built version of the Soviet Tupolev Tu-16. The Soviet Union agreed to license production of the Tu-16 to China in 1956, and a formal agreement was signed in September 1957. The first Chinese Tu-16, assembled from Soviet-provided kits, completed its maiden flight on September 27, 1959. The first fully domestically produced H-6 bomber flew on December 24, 1968. By November 2020, the People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) operated as many as 231 H-6 aircraft.
The H-6 airframe features a 33-meter wingspan and a maximum takeoff weight of 95,000 kg. Modernized variants, including the H-6K and H-6N, utilize two Soloviev D-30KP-2 turbofan engines. The H-6K incorporates a reinforced structure using composite materials, enlarged engine inlets, and a glass cockpit with LCD multi-function displays. Its nose section replaces the glazed navigator's station with a radome for an air-to-ground radar and an electro-optical targeting system. The standard crew consists of four personnel: a pilot in command, a co-pilot, an electronic warfare and communications officer, and a navigator/bombardier.
The aircraft has a payload capacity of 12,000 kg. While early versions featured internal bomb bays and 23 mm NR-23 cannons, many modern variants lack defensive guns and internal bays to prioritize missile carriage. The H-6K carries up to six CJ-10 or YJ-12 cruise missiles on underwing hardpoints. The H-6N is configured to carry the JL-1 or CH-AS-X-13 air-launched ballistic missile on a modified fuselage. Other munitions integrated into the H-6 platform include the YJ-21 hypersonic anti-ship missile and the CM-401 anti-ship ballistic missile.
The PLAAF and People’s Liberation Army Naval Air Force (PLANAF) are the primary operators, with bombers assigned to the 8th, 10th, and 36th Air Divisions. Between 2019 and 2025, H-6K and H-6N bombers conducted ten joint patrols with Russian Tu-95MS strategic bombers. During the Iran-Iraq War, the Iraqi Air Force operated H-6Ds armed with C-601 anti-ship missiles, damaging 15 tankers and bulk carriers. Iraq's three remaining H-6s were destroyed on the ground by US forces in 1991. Egypt previously operated the type, retiring its fleet in 2000.
Main Variants
- H-6A: A nuclear-capable bomber modified with a heat-insulated bomb bay that conducted China's first aerial nuclear test in 1965.
- H-6K: A modernized conventional variant re-engined with D-30KP turbofans and equipped with six underwing hardpoints for cruise missiles.
- H-6J: A maritime-strike version used by the PLANAF with range and performance similar to the H-6K.
- H-6N: A strategic variant featuring an aerial refueling probe and a modified fuselage designed to carry air-launched ballistic missiles.
- HY-6: An aerial refueling tanker variant developed to provide in-flight refueling for PLAAF and PLANAF aircraft.