F-15X: USAF Seems Interested

[marauder2048]

Yeah, we’d never see bombers from China flying to CONUS, we’re just gonna give the entire US Navy a full day off and tell NORAD and Schriever Air Force Base to just shut down for a day.

While we’re throwing out random stuff can we please give a dozen MQ-25s to Israel just for kicks, I’m sure Iran would really appreciate it.

I'm assuming the Chinese would regularly rehearse it, in the case of a non-VLO force, until it became something that looked routine to our defenses a la 1973 or any of the typical maskirovka techniques that have been employed in the past.

The US after all had and probably still has pre-emptive attack options involving stealth bombers under the SIOP.

[mixelflick]

The Chinese H-20 Stealth Bomber though, has to be taken into consideration..

It will undoubtedly carry a cruise missile load, especially given the round trip distance. I wouldn't be surprised if they bought some TU-160's either, as that production line will be up and running again soon. It's not hard to imagine them flying that platform (albeit with heavy modifications). Frankly, I'm surprised it hasn't happened already..

H-20 would need to be really huge fly wing to be able to fire ALCMs against CONUS.

I mean from Chinese mainland to US (flying between Taiwan and Philippines) you have almost 12.500km to COUNS. With 2500km missiles it will need to have at least 21.000km range (5% reserve).

Tu-160 with its 130tons of fuel have 12.300km (5% reserve) with six Kh-55SM ALCM.

Yes, this is a very good point: They really have their work cut out for them. With no bases anywhere in the neighborhood, they have quite a challenge flying CONUS strike missions from the mainland. Still, they're developing the H-20 for a reason and it'll undoubtedly be a strategic asset. Against US carrier groups? I don't think so, not with another (regional bomber) reportedly in development.

It may wind up being more of an ISR platform, with its reported all aspect stealth and other features. They sure don't need its capabilities to hit India, and I doubt conflict with Moscow is on the table (other than perhaps contingency plans for border disputes). Resources being finite, I'd be putting more of my $ into the regional bomber..

[marauder2048]

The Chinese H-20 Stealth Bomber though, has to be taken into consideration..

It will undoubtedly carry a cruise missile load, especially given the round trip distance. I wouldn't be surprised if they bought some TU-160's either, as that production line will be up and running again soon. It's not hard to imagine them flying that platform (albeit with heavy modifications). Frankly, I'm surprised it hasn't happened already..

H-20 would need to be really huge fly wing to be able to fire ALCMs against CONUS.

I mean from Chinese mainland to US (flying between Taiwan and Philippines) you have almost 12.500km to COUNS. With 2500km missiles it will need to have at least 21.000km range (5% reserve).

Tu-160 with its 130tons of fuel have 12.300km (5% reserve) with six Kh-55SM ALCM.

Yes, this is a very good point: They really have their work cut out for them. With no bases anywhere in the neighborhood, they have quite a challenge flying CONUS strike missions from the mainland. Still, they're developing the H-20 for a reason and it'll undoubtedly be a strategic asset. Against US carrier groups? I don't think so, not with another (regional bomber) reportedly in development.

It may wind up being more of an ISR platform, with its reported all aspect stealth and other features. They sure don't need its capabilities to hit India, and I doubt conflict with Moscow is on the table (other than perhaps contingency plans for border disputes). Resources being finite, I'd be putting more of my $ into the regional bomber..

I don't think you buy stealth bombers with ISR as a primary mission role. Maybe if it fails.

Stealth bombers give you excellent bolt-from-the-blue first strike capability or very
good second strike capability since they are much less dependent on SEAD or other support assets
which might not have survived the first strike.