China Deploys New Ship Hunting H-6J Bombers to Disputed South China Sea Island Base

China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) has deployed new H-6J bombers to Woody Island in the South China Sea, with the number of aircraft stationed as of yet uncertain. This follows the deployment of J-11B air superiority fighters in 2015, and of H-6K bombers there in 2018, and comes amid escalating tensions between China and the U.S. with the latter taking a harder line against Chinese territorial claims in the region and escalating its naval presence in the Western Pacific. The PLA has deployed a range of advanced assets for both air defence and anti shipping to a number of island outposts, such as HQ-9B air defence systems and YJ-12 anti ship missiles, but the H-6J will provide a significantly superior standoff capability against enemy surface vessels.

Even more than other H-6 variants, the H-6J Is heavily tailored towards neutralising enemy warships at long ranges, and can notably deploy up to 14 YJ-12 anti ship cruise missiles - a payload with few rivals in the world. The YJ-12 has a Mach 4 impact speed, allowing it to tear warships in half with a well placed hit, and a respectable 400km range. The sheer speed of these missiles makes them extremely difficult to intercept even for the most capable air defence systems. The bomber can also deploy anti ship ballistic missiles, which are larger, much faster and have longer ranges but cannot be deployed in comparable numbers due to their weight. It is uncertain whether ballistic missiles have been deployed to Woody Island with the new bombers, or whether they are relying on YJ-12 missiles alone. Analysis of images of the H-6Js deployed show that they have been equipped with additional electronic warfare pods, allowing them to function in an electronic attack role. 

Woody Island, known in China as Yongxing Island, is the largest of the disputed Parcel Islands and is also claimed by Vietnam - as well as the internationally recognised People’s Republic of China and the Taipei based Republic of China. The Parcels are a group of around 30 islands and over 100 reefs, banks, and other smaller maritime features. Deployment of the H-6J is hardly expected to be the last major deployment of a new aircraft or of a new weapons system to the territory, and with the PLA expected to induct multiple classes of medium and heavy stealth bombers and stealthy strike fighters in the coming years it is expected that at least some classes of these will be deployed for a maritime strike role to the same facilities.