The Xian H-20 remains a mystery after years of hints at its possible revelation, but illustrations published in a magazine in China seem to finally depict the shapes of the country’s first stealth bomber.
China North Industries Group (Norinco) showed four computer-generated images of the H-20 in Modern Weaponry magazine, which do not match information and drawings released so far.
As is already known, the bomber will be a flying wing, but the magazine’s illustrations are an aircraft equipped with vertical stabilizers similar to those of the YF-23 stealth fighter prototype.
The designs suggest that the H-20 would have a pronounced swept wing and with varying angles. The aircraft appears to be equipped with two turbofan engines with exhaust diffuser.
In a video released in January, PLAAF showed the H-20 in brief seconds, but with a configuration without vertical stabilizers. Instead, there are protuberances on the wings that have not been reproduced in the Modern Weaponry designs.
Despite this, China has advanced in its program to develop the first indigenous strategic bomber. Currently, the air force relies only on the H-16, an updated variant of the Tupolev Tu-16 Badger bomber.
