China Builds Fortified Base for Bombers and New Hypersonic Drones - H-20 Stealth Bombers Expected Soon?

China’s People’s Liberation Army has reportedly built a hardened new facility at the Luhe Ma'an Airbase in eastern Jiangsu province, which includes a large hangar and a number of auxiliary buildings. The base is relied on to host the 29th and 30th Air Regiments of the People's Liberation Army Air Force under the country’s Eastern Theater Command, which faces Taiwan, Japan and U.S. assets from across the Pacific Ocean. The Eastern Theater Command has been prioritised for the deployment of the latest classes of military aircraft, including the WZ-8 hypersonic surveillance drone which has reportedly been deployed to the Luhe Ma'an Air Base. The regiments at the base primarily deploy bombers and drones, with China fielding the largest bomber fleet in the world with approximate 270 H-6 bombers in service. The WZ-8 is reportedly itself designed to be launched from a modified H-6. 

The size of the new hangar was estimated at around 80 meters by 75 meters in size, and could potentially house new classes of bomber in future. It remains uncertain where China’s upcoming stealth bomber, the H-20, will initially be deployed, but the size of the new facility and the Eastern Theater Command’s priority status for receipt of new armaments means it its a significant possibility that Luhe Ma'an Air Base will house them. The WZ-8 was first unveiled in October 2019 and is reportedly intended to provide targeting data to Chinese missile, air and naval units - which could be particularly vulnerable in a major great power conflict where Chinese surveillance satellites may be left at risk.