The Xi'an H-20 is a highly classified, projected subsonic stealth strategic bomber developed by the Xi'an Aircraft Industrial Corporation (XAC). As a cornerstone of China's modern aerospace ambitions, the H-20 is intended to be the nation's first dedicated long-range strategic bomber, moving beyond the H-6 series which was derived from the 1950s Soviet Tu-16. The aircraft is designed to complete China's nuclear triad, complementing its land-based missiles and ballistic-missile submarines.
Development is centered at XAC's facilities in Yanliang, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China. XAC, which traces its origins to a plant established in 1958, is a primary military aircraft manufacturer under the state-owned Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC). The company has previously produced the Y-20 transport and the H-6 bomber series, and was identified in 2020 as the entity responsible for China's largest domestically built military aircraft.
Technically, the H-20 utilizes a flying-wing configuration to reduce its radar cross-section, placing it in the same conceptual class as the American B-2 and B-21 bombers. While official specifications remain undisclosed, the U.S. Department of Defense has assessed that the aircraft will likely possess a range of at least 8,500 km and a payload capacity of at least 10 tonnes of conventional or nuclear weapons. The RAND Corporation has further noted that such capabilities would allow the People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) to threaten targets beyond the Second Island Chain, specifically including Hawaii and Guam.
Despite its strategic importance, the H-20 has not yet been publicly revealed, entered production, or entered service. There is no officially confirmed first-flight date, although 2022 state-media reports suggested the aircraft was nearing its maiden flight, and unconfirmed social media images from January 2025 suggested potential test flights. The aircraft is expected to be powered by Chinese-made turbofan engines, likely developed by the Aero Engine Corporation of China (AECC), though specific model designations and thrust ratings remain classified.