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US fighter jets urgently intercepted near Alaska. Why does the H-6 make the US military so afraid?

2024-07-27

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On July 24, the North American Aerospace Defense Command discovered two Russian Tu-95 strategic bombers and a Chinese Air Force H-6 bomber in the Alaska Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ). This incident not only highlights the deepening of military mutual trust between China and Russia, but also highlights the strategic significance of the H-6 bomber in counter-deterrence against the United States.

This joint flight mission is an important manifestation of the cooperation between China and Russia in the military field. By jointly carrying out the flight mission, the two countries not only strengthened communication and coordination at the strategic level, but also demonstrated to the international community their common determination to maintain regional and even global security and stability.

The H-6 bomber is also called "Sixth Master" by netizens to show that it is too old. Because of the endless improvement of the model, netizens also jokingly call it "even the mother can't recognize it" or "adding letters is not enough". In fact, as a non-stealth, subsonic, medium-sized bomber, or an entry-level strategic bomber, the combat capability and strategic position of the H-6 have become a rare offensive combat platform in China due to the continuous improvement of its onboard equipment and the continuous improvement of the performance of the missiles it carries. Especially after the H-6N, its combat radius after receiving aerial refueling has been further expanded. Moreover, China is greatly improving its strategic deterrence by mounting air-launched ballistic missiles on the H-6K. The long range and missile mounting capability of the H-6 itself, coupled with the high-speed penetration capability of missile weapons, can already pose a serious threat to any target in the second island chain of the United States.

In past programs, we have repeatedly mentioned that China is pushing for the missile weapons mounted on the H-6 to enterHypersonicThis will cause the U.S. military to face serious defense loopholes in the H-6 era.fighterIf the H-6 cannot be intercepted in the first place, and once the hypersonic missile or ballistic missile is launched, the U.S. military will face the embarrassing situation of not having much time to intercept it, or it will be very difficult to intercept it.

Whether the H-6 is strong or not, we can also look at the attitude of the Americans. In the China Military Power Report released by the US Department of Defense, the H-6 is mentioned far more times thanJ-20, which can also explain from one side the fear of the Americans about the aircraft. Of course, this does not mean that the J-20 is not advanced, but that the United States does not need to be afraid of the J-20 as long as it does not threaten China. However, they have to face the threat of the H-6 to the US military's second island chain targets at all times. This is the charm of the bomber platform as an offensive combat force. The US military is not now posing a serious threat to China, such as the F-22 and F-35.Stealth FighterRather, it is the US military's B-52H and B-2 and other strategic bombers. This is also based on the fact that strategic bombers' wide frontal penetration puts a lot of pressure on the defending side.

In theory, no matter how the H-6 plans its route or accepts aerial refueling, it cannot pose a threat to the U.S. mainland. However, if China and Russia engage in strategic cooperation, the situation will be different. Although the H-6's flight mission was carried out in international airspace, it is a warning to the security of the U.S. mainland, but it undoubtedly demonstrates the long-range strike capability of the Chinese Air Force to the United States, reminding the United States that it must re-evaluate its defense strategy.

Of course, with the improvement of space-based satellite reconnaissance capabilities, the penetration capability of non-stealth strategic bombers has been severely restricted, which is fair to both China and the United States. For this reason, the United States is developing the B-21 and China is also developing the H-20. The two sides have different development routes in the field of strategic bombers, but they still attach importance to the deterrence brought by air mobile platforms.

In general, the China-Russia joint flight mission is not only a routine military training, but also a strategic demonstration. The participation of the H-6 bomber not only enhances the military mutual trust between China and Russia, but also constitutes a substantial strategic deterrent to the United States. The United States needs to take this change seriously and take corresponding measures to ensure its homeland security.