What Bombers Does China Have? The H-6 and the H-20 Stealth Bomber

China’s bomber force is built around the H-6, a heavily modernised version of the Soviet Tu-16 that first flew in the 1950s. Today’s H-6K, H-6J and H-6N carry long-range cruise and anti-ship missiles, and the H-6N can refuel in the air and carry a nuclear-capable air-launched ballistic missile. China’s long-promised stealth bomber, the H-20, was announced in 2016, but by mid-2026 it had still not been shown in public or confirmed to have flown.

This guide explains what China’s bombers can do, how far they can reach and why the H-20 matters.

What bombers does China have?

China does not have a large fleet of heavy intercontinental bombers like the American B-52, B-1 and B-2 or the Russian Tu-95 and Tu-160. Instead it has spent two decades turning the H-6 into a long-range missile carrier. The aircraft itself is slow and not stealthy, but its missiles let it strike targets far beyond the range of China’s air defences.

H-6K and H-6N

The H-6K, introduced around 2011, has new Russian-designed turbofan engines, a glass cockpit and the ability to carry six land-attack cruise missiles. The Pentagon says it can threaten targets as far away as the second island chain, which includes Guam, from bases in mainland China. The H-6N goes further: it has an aerial refuelling probe, which greatly increases its range, and can carry a large air-launched ballistic missile under its fuselage. China’s nuclear forces count about 20 H-6Ns, as described in our guide to China’s nuclear weapons. In 2024 and 2025 H-6 bombers flew joint patrols with Russian bombers, including near Alaska.

H-6J and maritime strike

The navy’s H-6J carries six YJ-12 supersonic anti-ship missiles and is designed to attack ships far out at sea. Together with the DF-21D and DF-26 ballistic missiles and the YJ-21 hypersonic missile, it forms part of the layered threat to US carrier groups described in our guide to Chinese missiles. The H-6N can also launch the WZ-8 supersonic reconnaissance drone, which helps find those ships, as described in our guide to Chinese drones.

H-20: the missing stealth bomber

China confirmed in 2016 that it was developing a long-range stealth bomber, the H-20, widely expected to be a flying wing similar to the American B-2 and B-21. In March 2024 a senior PLA Air Force officer said it would be shown “soon”. It has not been, and the head of the US Air Force Global Strike Command has said China is “just not there yet”. The Pentagon expects it to have a range of more than 10,000 kilometres and to carry both conventional and nuclear weapons. An assessment by the China Aerospace Studies Institute in June 2026 put its earliest service date at 2030.

How does China compare with the United States?

The United States has about 140 bombers, including 19 B-2 stealth bombers, and is building the B-21 Raider, which first flew in 2023. China’s H-6 fleet is larger in number but far less capable: it cannot reach the US mainland without refuelling and would be vulnerable to modern fighters. Its value lies in the long-range missiles it carries, including the hypersonic weapons covered in our guide to Chinese hypersonic missiles.

Frequently asked questions

What bombers does China have?

China’s bombers are versions of the H-6, including the H-6K, H-6J and nuclear-capable H-6N, plus the smaller JH-7A fighter-bomber. The H-20 stealth bomber is in development.

How many bombers does China have?

China does not publish the figure. Open-source estimates put the H-6 fleet at about 200 aircraft of all versions.

Does China have a stealth bomber?

Not yet. The H-20 was announced in 2016 but had not been shown in public or confirmed to have flown by mid-2026.

Can Chinese bombers carry nuclear weapons?

Yes. The H-6N can carry a nuclear-capable air-launched ballistic missile, giving China a nuclear triad.

Can Chinese bombers reach the United States?

The H-6 cannot reach the US mainland without refuelling. Its missiles can reach Guam from China.

What is the H-6 based on?

The Soviet Tu-16 Badger, first built in China in 1959 and heavily modernised since.