China's leadership prioritizes development of a long range bomber

According to the latest issue of Kanwa Defense Review, a Canada-based publication specializing in defense affairs and weapons technology, a meeting held recently by the military defined the PLA air force as a "strategic force", a title previously monopolized by the PLA Second Artillery Corps, the country's de facto strategic missile force. Officers attending the meeting reportedly urged the PLA air force to prioritize the development of a long-range strategic bomber.

The Chinese military defines a long-range strategic bomber as one that can carry more than 10 tonnes of air-to-ground munitions and with a minimum range of 8,000 kilometres (5,000 miles) without refuelling, the China Daily said.

Chinese defence technology magazine Aerospace Knowledge said in a series of articles last month that China needs a long-range stealth bomber, China Daily said.

China has the midrange HK6

China is wanting to get B-1 B and TU160 style supersonic long range bomber technology.

US B-1 B , first built in 1986 with 12,000 km range and 75000 pounds of bombs

Maximum speed US B-1 B:
At altitude: Mach 1.25 (721 kn or 830 mph or 1,335 km/h) at 50,000 ft or 15,000 m altitude
At low level: Mach 0.92 (700 mph or 1,100 km/h) at 200–500 ft or 61–152 m altitude
Range: 6,478 nmi (7,455 mi; 11,997 km)

Entering service in 1987, the Tu-160 was the last strategic bomber designed for the Soviet Union. The Long Range Aviation branch of the Russian Air Force has 16 aircraft with fewer in active use. The Tu-160 active fleet has been undergoing upgrades to electronics systems since the early 2000s. The Tu-160M modernisation programme has begun with the first new updated aircraft delivered in December 2014
TU160, 12,300 km (7,643 mi) practical range without in-flight refuelling, 88000 pounds of bombs or missiles


Russian TU22M, 6800 km range, 46000 poounds of bombs

The last major US bomber was the B2 launched in 1997.

The US is workin on a Next-Generation Bomber and a United States 2037 Bomber. A future stealth bomber project, with a goal of least complementing, or supplanting a portion or all of the current B-52 and B-1 fleet. A deployment time frame goal of 2018 has been established

United States 2037 Bomber : A stealth, supersonic, long-range, heavy-payload, possibly unmanned strategic bomber project to replace the B-52 Stratofortress, with a deployment time frame goal of 2037.

Russia is working on the PAK DA.

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