China's latest H-6N bombers fly in formation across the sky above Tiananmen Square in Beijing during the National Day parade on October 1, 2019. Photo: CCTV
China’s latest bomber, the H-6N with refueling capability, made its debut at the National Day parade in Beijing on Tuesday, and Chinese military analysts said that the new bomber’s ability to take aerial refueling can give it a much longer operational range compared to its predecessor H-6K.
Three H-6N bombers flew above Tiananmen Square during the parade.
The new H-6N with refueling capability is believed to be the latest entry to the H-6 bomber family, with many improvements made to its predecessor H-6K, including an in-flight fuel-receiving probe on the nose of the aircraft, military observers said.
This probe will allow the H-6N with refueling capability to conduct aerial refueling, significantly extending its operational range and expanding weapons load, Wei Dongxu, a Beijing-based military analyst, told the Global Times.
The H-6N with refueling capability is capable of launching more powerful missiles, Yang Chengjun, a Chinese missile expert and quantum defense scientist, told the Global Times.