Chinese ‘Carrier Hunter’ H-6N Bomber with Ballistic Missile Seen For First Time

The first publicly available images of ballistic missile equipped H-6N medium bombers of the China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) have been released, after much anticipation among military experts and aviation enthusiasts. China’s ‘Modern Ships’ publication in November revealed artwork of a large new anti ship missile which was set to be integrated onto the H-6N - which represents one of the latest iterations of the H-6 design alongside the cruise missile armed H-6J. Approximately 270 H-6 bombers are currently in service in the PLA, providing the country with the largest bomber fleet in the world. The new ballistic missile is speculated to be derived from the larger ground based DF-21D ‘carrier killer,’ and appears to be a compact solid fuelled design with an estimated range of over 2,500km. Its deployment follows the unveiling of the Kh-47M2 hypersonic ballistic missile by Russia, which is relied on for both anti-ship and strike operations, has a 2000km range, and is deployed from both MiG-31K and Tu-22M aircraft. This was perviously the only air launched ballistic missile in service anywhere in the world. 

The most likely intended purpose of China’s new air launched ballistic missile is anti-shipping operations over the Western Pacific, a role which a growing proportion of the H-6 fleet has been assigned. The missile could allow the PLA to target enemy warships including carriers, destroyers and cruisers at longer distances from China’s coast than the land based DF-21D, complementing a wide and fast growing range of existing anti-ship assets to provide as many means as possible of targeting enemy ships and thereby strengthening China’s ability to deny potential adversaries access to East Asian waters. A recent report from the U.S. Department of Defence has also indicated that the PLA has re-assigned its Air Force’s bomber fleet with a nuclear deterrence mission, which if true would make the new air launched missile the most likely candidate for nuclear delivery given that it is China’ longest ranged air launched weapon. It remains uncertain what the primary role of the new missile for the H-6N is, or whether other classes of Chinese aircraft such as the JH-7 strike fighter or upcoming H-20 stealth bomber will also be equipped with ballistic missiles.