Recently at a press conference at the Ministry of defense of the PRC, Deputy head of the information Department and press Secretary of the defense Department Ren Guoqiang made a statement on holding in the waters of the South China sea daily exercises of high intensity involving the latest military aircraft naval aviation of the southern military district H-6G and H-6J.
Therefore, the Ministry of defense of China for the first time informed the world about the existence of a new bomber H-6J. This bomber able to carry on Board a supersonic anti-ship missiles YJ-12, will increase the combat capability of naval aviation of the PRC.
From H-6D to H-6J
Large medium bombers H-6 — “veterans”, released in serial production and put into service in 1969. All models of planes and helicopters of the air force, Navy and army aviation of China, the armament, repeatedly replaced by a new one. Only among the large bombers for 50 years since 1969, the task of applying tactical and long-range strategic strikes perform aircraft N-6 and its upgraded version.
During the competition “Aviadarts-2016” to the Chinese team went 92-year-old Russian, who in 1959 as an instructor helped the Chinese students to master the Tu-16. The first thing he asked them was: “do you Have China no longer use the Tu-16?” It is worth noting that the “Aviadarts-2017”, China has sent the H-6K, which exceeded the Russian Tu-22M3 and took first place in the competition of bombers, suddenly received a maximum score.
After a brilliant debut of the strategic bomber H-6N during the parade dedicated to the 70th anniversary of the founding of the PRC, the Chinese have demonstrated a new of representatives H-6G and H-6J. Unlike the H-6K and H-6N, took part in the big parade in 2019 the air force of the PRC, the new models are another powerful air force structure of naval aviation. Besides H-6G and H-6J look more pale and mysterious in its traditional “white robe” than the H-6K and H-6N.
In my opinion, all bombers of the type H-6, appearing on the last 50 years can be attributed to three generations, based on the time of development and technical level. When H-6G will be treated to the second generation, the H-6J — to the third, and his predecessor H-6D to the first. If you look at the history of the development of aircraft of the type N-6, we can see how important place is in it, H-6D, acting as a kind of milestone. It is not only the first bomber of the type H-6, designed for naval aircraft, it is also the first bomber with an ability to carry and launch missiles. In the process of developing the H-6D with anti-ship cruise missile YJ-6 was faced with great difficulties. The project was launched in 1965 and was only completed in 1985.
Development of a bomber with anti-ship missiles H-6D not only provide aircraft Chinese Navy platform for the application of long-range strike on surface ships of the enemy, but also marked the beginning of the era of “racemization” bombers like H-6. Subsequently, the air force also put forward a request to create a new model of bomber H-6 that can carry and launch missiles “air-surface”. Thus the aviation industry has created N-6N, based on engineering solutions H-6D.
H-6D is a leader among bombers H-6, created for the air forces of the Navy. The aviation industry decided to create a second generation of bombers with anti-ship missiles, namely H-6G, which were discussed in the Ministry of defence. Compared to the H-6D, the new bomber was modernized not only the avionics, the fire control system, navigation, location, communication and data transmission, electronic warfare, radar and missile warning, but also missiles. Bomber first-generation H-6D could carry only two missiles YJ-6 with a relatively weak performance, and the H-6G will be suspended more modern anti-ship missiles YJ-83, the number increased to four pieces. However, the technical development of Chinese anti-ship missiles moving with great speed, and soon H-6G will be upgraded to the model H-6L. This bomber will be equipped with the most advanced supersonic anti-ship missile long-range YJ-12. Given the existence of more advanced successor, the H-6G will continue to endure various outboard electronic weapons, accompanying a group of anti-aircraft H-6. At the same time the aircraft can carry and launch missiles YJ-83. Supersonic missiles YJ-12, many times appeared on military parades, their range exceeds 450 kilometres, they have excellent penetration ability to the target, and attacks from outside the reach of the ship air defense of the opponent, which provides high security transports them to the plane.
When the air force was ready the first bomber of the type H-6 third generation — N-6K — was in full swing work on the creation of a model for naval aviation, the aircraft H-6J we can observe today. Total design solutions, including the structure of the fuselage, main wing and engine H-6J inherited from the H-6K, but due to the peculiarities of combat use of forces, naval aviation, changes were made to the internal hardware and suspension arms.
For example, at the ends of the wings of the H-6J appeared a pair of small mounts for hanging the electronic weapon, and under the fuselage communications equipment with anti-ship missile. It is important to note that the H-6J can be equipped with six missiles, including a supersonic anti-ship missiles, long-range YJ-12 and subsonic anti-ship missiles YJ-83. Perhaps in the future the bomber can also carry anti-ship cruise missile long-range YJ-18, combining subsonic and supersonic flight regimes.
We can say that since the creation of the H-6D before the advent of the H-6J ability of naval aviation to launch missiles at surface targets from the air was developed from scratch, she was weak, but now stronger and become global. Due to the characteristics of the bomber and transferred them missiles, the total combat capability of the H-6J is much higher than the Russian aircraft naval aviation Tu-22M3.
Fighting the appointment of bombers of the type H-6 naval aircraft
Probably, the readers, the question arose: why the air force and naval aviation can’t use the same model of bombers the class N-6. Is such unification of the two types of troops would not contribute to reducing costs and simplifying logistics?
In fact, among the bombers H-6 there are models for the air force, and there for the Navy. This is dictated by the fact that the aircraft of these types of units has a different purpose on the battlefield. In the case of naval aviation, the main task is to capture and hold control of the airspace over the sea territory, support their own troops when conducting naval operations, ensuring the capture and retention of superiority on the sea. Therefore, the primary task of bombers H-6 in the Navy aviation of China to launch missiles at surface ships of the enemy. If anti-force is powerful enough, you can expand the scope of naval aviation bombers H-6, for example, use them to destroy coastal airfields, bases, ports and other important military objects of the enemy, and to set min, of electronic warfare, Maritime surveillance, patrolling, communications and navigation.
The use of bombers H-6, relating to Navy aviation and the air force in conducting anti-ship operations is very different. For example, all units of the Navy, such as surface ships, submarines, aircraft, and shore command centers, associated independent chain transmission. Thus, the communications system anti-ship bombers H-6 used in the Navy is in need of targeted improvement.
Bombers H-6G and H-6J not just been mentioned together. In fact, during the exercise, naval aviation will develop the use of them. These two models of bombers perfectly, as designed specially for firing on large carrier battle groups of the enemy. The proposed operational use, mixed flight operation, consisting of H-6G and H-6J, will be sent to the naval deployment of a large carrier battle group of the enemy under cover of fighter escort. When the carriers are released carrier-based fighters to intercept, in a battle with them will join the Chinese escort fighters, covering the bombers H-6G and H-6J, heading to a particular sector of airspace for launching missiles.
At the same time H-6G carrying a large electronic warfare equipment, capable of the duration of the flight to provide support and to suppress carrier-based enemy aircraft, especially naval aircraft electronic warfare EA-18 “classic guitar player keyboardist pianist” (EA-18 Growler) aircraft and airborne early warning Grumman E-2 “Hawkeye” (Grumman E-2 Hawkeye). In addition, bomber, H-6G is responsible for the suppression of interference and guidance on the ship’s radar stations of the enemy, in particular, the system “aegis”. When the air and surface radar detection of the enemy is fully suppressed and drowned out by the noise, the bomber H-6J begins to lead a massive attack long-range supersonic missiles YJ-12, subsonic missiles YJ-83 from outside the range of shipboard anti-aircraft missiles “Standard”.
Each bomber H-6J can be equipped with six anti-ship missiles, while the system of “aegis” has 12 channels firing, however, in the case of jamming and interference, reduced their number. Thus, if four ships large aircraft carrier groups of the enemy will be equipped with system “aegis”, enough at least eight Chinese bomber H-6J, to strike with a solid defeat.
In terms of actual combat China will work together to apply various kinds and types of troops. Therefore, together with the missiles, produced by ships and submarines, and ballistic missiles, anti-ship missiles H-6J, can provide the most powerful deadly strike with a solid defeat.
In addition, the H-6J is fitted with outboard equipment electronic warfare intended for self-defense. If the broken deck of the enemy aircraft fired at a group of Chinese bombers missile with active radar homing, in self-defense H-6J use of electronic equipment to interference and avoid threats.
