China News recently reported that the Chinese Air Force Commander Ma Xiaotian’s mention, in September, of the potential of China’s new generation of long-range bomber, triggered many discussions. However, a recent unexpected computer graphics picture, revealed on China’s Central Television (CCTV) news, has confirmed its existence. Wang Qun, Professor and Military Expert of the National Security and Military Centre for Strategic Studies at the National University of Defense Technology, studied the picture and suggested that the new Chinese long-range bomber should be able to reach a flight range of 12,000 kilometers with an effective load of 20 to 30 tons. Currently only the United States and Russia have bombers with that level of capability and the U.S. B-2A is the only model that has true stealth capability. Wang estimated that China’s new bomber may be able to achieve only partial stealth, while it could fly at supersonic speed – like the Russian T-160. The U.S. B-2A carries too high a price tag which may seem prohibitive for the Chinese budget. It is also a widely-accepted belief that China’s new bomber is also suitable for carrying nuclear bombs.
Source: China News, December 4, 2016
http://www.chinanews.com/mil/2016/12-04/8082883.shtml