Thursday, November 23, 2017

Photos of the day: China Air force (PLAF) in South China Sea

Once again the PLAAF is training in South China Sea, an area of operations (AO) traditionally reserved to the Naval Air force (PLAN-AF).  It is clear - for sometime now - that in time of a South China Sea crisis, the OpForce will have to deal with both Chinese air arms operating in a coordinated manner.


Photos from the Nov 24th drill that are missing from the Reuters report below:






     China air force again flies round Taiwan, over South China Sea

Reuters Staff
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-defence-taiwan/china-air-force-again-flies-round-taiwan-over-south-china-sea-idUSKBN1DN12K


BEIJING (Reuters) - China’s air force has again flown bombers and other warplanes through two strategic channels near Taiwan and also over the disputed South China Sea during training drills, state media said on Thursday.

Numerous H-6K bombers and other jets recently flew through the Bashi Channel between Taiwan and the Philippines and the Miyako Strait in Japan’s south, and also over the South China Sea on a “combat patrol”, the official Xinhua news agency said, citing Air Force spokesman Shen Jinke.

Shen did not say when the drills began but said all planes had finished their patrols on Thursday, which were intended to “improve maritime real combat capabilities and forge the forces’ battle methods”.

China has been increasingly asserting itself in territorial disputes in the South and East China Seas. It is also worried about Taiwan, run by a government China fears is intent on independence.

Beijing has never ruled out the use of force to bring proudly democratic Taiwan under its control, and has warned that any moves towards formal independence could prompt an armed response.

China is in the midst of an ambitious military modernization program that includes building aircraft carriers and developing stealth fighters to give it the ability to project power far from its shores.

Taiwan is well armed, mostly with U.S. weaponry, but has been pressing Washington to sell it more high-tech equipment to better deter China.



Saturday, February 25, 2017


H-6K going ole school.

H-6K, China's only long-range strategic bomber is better known for carrying six CJ-10A cruise missiles geared for long-range and stand-off attacks.  It also made news recently for its "routine" drills over the West Pacific.   What is being overlooked here is its ole-school, iron bomb payload --  increased by the pair of Soloviev D-30 turbofans and extra fuel capacity -- it's 9-ton can of whoop ass can make short work of any "new structure" in the South China Sea.

6x6=36!



Case-in-point:  Cavite, Luzon Island, Philippines after being bombed by American B-24 Liberators, January 1945 
Before and After


CCTV capture of the day: Another "routine" drill over the West Pacific, this time with more than 40 birds

It seems another "routine package" of H-6K with KD-20/DF-10K long-range cruise missiles,  KJ-2000 Mainring AWAC and, Il-78 tankers and Su-30MKK heavy fighters. 




China Air Force Conducts West Pacific Drill, Patrols ADIZ

Source
    Xinhua
Editor
    Dong Zhaohui

Time
    2016-09-25



NANJING, Sept. 25 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese Air Force on Sunday sent more than 40 aircraft of various types to the West Pacific, via the Miyako Strait, for a routine drill on the high seas, a spokesperson said.

Shen Jinke, spokesperson of the People's Liberation Army Air Force, said the fleet, including H-6K bombers, Su-30 fighters, and air tankers, conducted reconnaissance and early warning, attacks on sea surface targets, and in-flight refueling to test the Air Force's fighting capacity on the high seas.

Bombers and fighters of the PLA Air Force also conducted routine patrol in the East China Sea Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ), the spokesperson said at an east China airport.

Shen said routine drills in the West Pacific and patrols in the East China Sea ADIZ are conducted "in accordance with the needs of the Air Force to defend national sovereignty and security, as well as to maintain peaceful development."

Since the East China Sea ADIZ was set up nearly three years ago, the Air Force has kept regular patrols.

The Air Force will continue patrolling in the East China Sea ADIZ to uphold the legitimate rights and interests of China. It will keep conducting various training to improve its combat capacity, Shen said.














Monday, March 30, 2015


H-6K conducted its first long-range maritime strike exercise in the West Pacific

PLA Air Force conducts first training in West Pacific


(Source: China Military Online)   2015-03-30

  BEIJING, March 30 (ChinaMil) -- In order to promote its maneuvering combat capability, the Air Force of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLAAF) for the first time organized its aviation troops to go to the airspace above the West Pacific Ocean to carry out military training, Shen Jinke, spokesman of the PLA Air Force, said in south China’s Guangzhou province on March 30, 2015.

  The warplanes of the PLA Air Force flew to the West Pacific for training via the Bashi Channel on March 30 and returned on the same day after finishing the training and achieving the given goal, according to Shen.

  Training in the airspace far from China is an effective way for the PLA Air Force to temper its combat capability and also a common practice of world powers' air forces, Col. Shen said.

  Shen said that the military training in the airspace above the Western Pacific by the PLA Air Force is a routine arrangement of the annual training plan for the PLA Air Force and also a normal requirement of China's national defense construction.

  Shen pointed out that this training by the PLA Air Force complies with relevant international laws and practices, is not aimed at any country or target and poses no threat to any country or region.









Monday, January 05, 2015


Photo of the day: The aggressor H-6K practicing a low-level penetration bomb run against a PLAAF anti-defense brigade during a confrontational drill

The newsworthy of this picture is not the low-level penetration bomb run -- which the K model is primarily designed to perform -- rather the serial number of 11193 confirming that the PLAAF 8th Bomber Division now has at least 14 H-6K (god of war) model in its orbat.



The other H-6K unit is the PLAAF 10th bomber division

 


Sunday, November 17, 2013


PLAAF "in the news" of the day: H-6K, god-of-war (small g)

 H-6K bombers delivered to PLA Air Force

By Chen Boyuan
     China.org.cn, June 22, 2013

http://www.china.org.cn/china/2013-06/22/content_29197824.htm

The Chinese People’s Liberation Army Air Force recently received 15 H-6K bombers with nuclear capabilities, according to British military digest Jane’s Defence Weekly.

The H-6K, an updated version of the H-6 bomber, is a medium-sized craft designed for long-range attacks, stand-off attacks and large-area air patrol. Unlike its predecessor, the H-6K can carry cruise missiles under its wings. The H6-K also maneuvers more deftly than the H-6 and requires a smaller crew to operate. Jane’s Defence was the first media outlet to confirm that the H6-K had formally entered active service.

The most visible departure from the H-6 is the H6-K’s nose, where a nose randome has replaced a navigation cabin. Military expert Fu Qianshao said that the H6-K’s nose should greatly improve avionics, search and detection, navigation, fire control and weapon precision.

Fu said that the H-6K has a larger engine inlet than does the H-6, which may mean that the newer bomber’s engines have greater thrust. If so, the H-6K would also have a greater maximum takeoff weight and payload than the H-6. A more favorable weight-to-thrust ratio would improve fuel efficiency and lengthen cruising range, Fu said.

H-6K reportedly has a combat radius of 3,500 KM. The nuclear-capable Changjian (long sword)-10 cruise missiles it carries have a range of 1,500-2,000 KM, effectively extending the bomber’s combat range to 4,000-5,000 KM - long enough to reach Okinawa, Guam and even Hawaii from China’s mainland.

Analysts stipulated that PLA Air Force missiles be able to reach Taiwan, southwestern Japan and Guam, a range of control that requires a 3,000-KM combat radius and powerful attack capability. Only the combined combat radii of the H6-K and Changjian-10 currently satisfy the length requirement.



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