H-8
There is very little open information on efforts to develop a successor to the H-6. China began work on a new generation long-range bomber in the early 1970s. In the search for a faster bomber that could carry a heavier load, Xian tested an H-6 re-engined with four Rolls-Royce Spey Mk512-5W turbofan engines - two in the wing roots, which necessitated smaller intakes than the stock H-6 engines used, as well as two more engines on pylons on the wings. The fuel-efficient Rolls-Royce Spey Mk-512 turbofans were originally used on the Trident 2E civil aircraft. The Trident was one of the first jet-powered civilian transports acquired by the PLAAF. The order included an agreement to produce the Spey engines under license, and these license-produced engines were subsequently used on the JH-7 military aircraft. The resulting H-6I made its first flight in 1978, though no photographs of this aircraft have emerged. The H-6I flight testing demonstrated an approximately 50% increase in range over the standard H-6 with significant improvements in speed and climb rate. However, the project was canceled with only a single example built as the costs of maintaining and operating the Spey engines proved uneconomical. Plans to modify the entire H-6 fleet were not implemented.
In the early 1980s the Xian H-6M (first use of the designation- the current H-6M is less radical maritime attack version of the H-6) re-did the wings of the bomber to accommodate four high-bypass ratio turbofan engines roughly in the low end of the CFM56 class. It never made it off the drawing board. The fuselage was also slightly stretched and the aft fuselage sighting stations were deleted. This initial effort reportedly featured four Rolls-Royce Spey turbofans under the wings, and a fuselage generally resembling an enlarged H-6/Tu-16 Badger. The resulting bomber was said to be comparable in general performance to the American B-47. This performance was evidently unattractive, and the Chinese government cancelled the program before it moved out of the concept stage.
In the 1980s the Xian H-8II design took the H-6M, stretched it, enlarged the fin, added a new attack radar in the nose and stretched the wings to accommodate six turbofan engines. It never made it off the drawing board. Internet sources have offered pictures of what is referred to as the H-8.
The new H-8 is the first stealth plane for China. One report claims that it was taken into development in 1994 to match the American B-2A. With a weapons load targeted at 18 tons, the bomber may travel at 1.2 Mach to penetrate defended territory or in order to escape. The bomber will carry a new stealth cruise missile, and is reported to have the range to reach targets on the continental United States, qwith a range estimated to be up to ten thousand kilometers. The aircraft uses domestically produced advanced navigation equipment. The bomber has been designed by the 603 institute, and Xian will be responsible for producing the bomber. The bomber will be the first domestically designed and manufactured strategic bomber.
The H-8 was reported to use a high-tech blended wing-body design, has fly-by-wire controls, and an angled fuselage. The wing has massive internal fuel tanks. The aircraft used carbon fiber and other composite materials. The weapons bay has a rotating weapons profile. The bomber retains a terrain hugging capacity and has a terrain following and mapping radar, satellite data links and advanced digital mapping systems. The bomber also uses advanced stealth technologies. The H-8 will have 4 turbo-fan engines, the core of which is based on the WS-10A. It can use a host of weapons including laser guided "thunder stone" 6, satellite guidance bomb and anti-ship missile.
According to a semi-official Chinese media report in late 2007, China's domestically-developed "Xian H-8" stealth strategic bomber has successfully undergone flight trials. It is said that this bomber will carry a new type of cruise missile and will be capable of attacking North America, which is a cause of great concern in many countries. The "photographs" of the H-8 carried in the Chinese media are not photographs, but rather art work based on various American stealth aircraft.
In late 2007 it was reported that the H-8 was slated to start trial flights in January 2008. Central Military Committee officers, air force logistics department officer, national defense science and industry committee, Xi'an deputy mayor, the provincial party committee assistant deputy secretary, amongst others were said to be present for inaugurating the project. China generally lags American military technology by about 25 years, so by the year 2010 China might be expected to match American military achievements of around 1985. China thus might be expected to be developing the the necessary technology to effectively use stealth materials andr develop high-power engines. Thus China could be expected to have successfully fabricated and assembled a working aircraft.
