China Defense Blog: Photos of the day: Freshly minted H-6K rolling out of production.

Saturday, December 02, 2017

Photos of the day: Freshly minted H-6K rolling out of production.

Yes, they are still building more Tu-16 variant as of Dec 2017. Additionally, the PLAN-AF is getting ready to receive their own, a new navalized H-6KH in due course.

Friday, May 06, 2011

First in service photo of H-6K, "god of war, with a small g"

It appears that the PLAAF's latest ALCM carrier, the H-6K, has finally entered service with the 8th Bomber Division. Each H-6K is powered by a pair of Russian D-30KP-2 designed to carry up to 6 CL-10 ALCM, a major improvement over the older M model.

Yup, old Tu-16s never die, they just become ALCM carriers.

On a related news, the fifth batch of 11 D-30-KP-2 engines was delivered on March 25th.

http://world.huanqiu.com/roll/2011-03/1589464.html

环球网记者仲伟东3月25日报道，据俄新社消息，俄罗斯“土星”科研生产联合体新闻处发布消息称，该企业将在今年3月末以前向中国供应最后一批，也就是第5批11台D-30KP-2军机发动机。

俄罗斯国防出口公司与中国在2009年签署了供应55台该型号发动机的合同。合同还规定，俄罗斯生产企业将在保修期内提供技术支持。

消息指出：“预计今年3月末之前将完成最后一批D-30KP-2发动机的供应。”之前的4批发动机分别在2009年11月，以及2010年3月、5月与10月交付中方。

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!