Xian Aircraft · Bomber · China · Digital Age (2010–present)
Open in interactive gallery →See aircraft like this on the live radar →The Xian H-20 is China's first fifth-generation long-range stealth bomber, developed as the PLAAF counterpart to the American B-21 Raider and Russian PAK DA. Xian Aircraft Corporation has worked on the programme in secret since the 2010s. A first prototype flight is rumoured to have taken place between 2024 and 2026, though Beijing has not officially confirmed it. As of 2026, the H-20 remains classified, with no public photographs or confirmed specifications released.
Leaked reports describe a flying-wing airframe powered by four indigenous Chinese turbofans — either WS-10 derivatives or new WS-15 variants. Estimated figures place maximum speed at Mach 0.8 (subsonic), unrefuelled range above 10,000 km, and internal weapons load around 10 tonnes of bombs or cruise missiles. The crew numbers two. The aircraft is intended to fill the long-range bombing role currently occupied in the U.S. inventory by the B-2 Spirit and B-21 Raider; China's existing H-6 family — derivatives of the Soviet Tu-16 — lacks both the reach and the radar signature reduction of modern Western bombers.
Development has stayed behind a tight security curtain. PLAAF officials have publicly acknowledged that the H-20 programme exists and have pointed to an initial in-service date around 2030. Reporting suggests one to three prototypes have flown, but no official imagery or service-entry announcement has appeared. The H-20 is China's primary fifth-generation long-range aviation effort, set against the American B-21 Raider — which made its first flight in November 2023 and is planned for 100+ production aircraft — in the contest for next-generation bomber dominance.
The Xian H-20 is a planned Chinese long-range stealth bomber. China has worked on the H-20 since the 2010s in secret. No public photos exist yet. The H-20 is China's answer to the American B-21 Raider.
The H-20 is rumored to be a flying-wing shape, like the B-2 Spirit and B-21 Raider. Estimates say 4 turbofan engines, top speed below the sound barrier, and range of 6,200 miles or more. The H-20 should be able to carry 22,000 pounds of bombs or cruise missiles internally. The H-20 should be longer than a Boeing 737 in flying-wing layout.
The H-20 will give China a stealth long-range bomber, replacing the older Xian H-6 (a Chinese copy of the Soviet Tu-16). The H-6 has limited range and no stealth. The H-20 should let China reach targets across the Pacific.
The first flight of the H-20 is rumored to have happened in 2024 to 2026, but China has not confirmed. Service entry is planned for 2030 or later. The H-20 is one of the most-watched secret aircraft programs of the 2020s, alongside the American B-21 and Russian PAK DA.
The H-20 is one of China's most important new weapons. China keeps it secret so America cannot build defenses against it. No public photos exist as of 2026. Even basic details like size, engines, and range are estimates. Compare to the American B-21 Raider, which was shown publicly in 2022 with photos but with most details still secret.
A flying wing is a plane with no separate body or tail, just one big wing with the cockpit and engines blended in. Flying wings are very stealthy because they have few flat surfaces to bounce radar back. The B-2 Spirit and B-21 Raider use this shape, and the H-20 is rumored to follow. The trade-off is that flying wings need computers to handle tricky flight stability.
The Xian H-6 is a copy of the Soviet Tu-16 from the 1950s. The H-6 is not stealthy, has limited range, and uses old engines. The H-20 should be much better: stealth shape, modern engines, longer range, and more bomb capacity. The H-6 is being kept on for a few more years as a backup while the H-20 enters service.
Very little officially. PLAAF officials have confirmed the H-20 programme exists and have pointed to an in-service target of 2030. Leaked Chinese aerospace conference materials describe a flying-wing stealth bomber with four engines, range above 10,000 km, and a 10-tonne weapons load. No official photographs have been released. Western aviation press sometimes calls the aircraft "China's B-2".
PLAAF officials are targeting a 2030 IOC. Production rates have not been disclosed; by comparison, the American B-21 Raider programme (first flight November 2023, planned 100+ airframes) suggests the H-20 may aim for a similar 50-100 airframes by the late 2030s.