Military of China, force comment.
Military of China, force comment.

China Air Force bombers oil tanker and six F-10 aircraft composed of two air fleet

Global Times correspondent Xu Zhenjun compiled on August 11, United States,” Chinese Defense “website published the first U.S. Air Force refueling pilots Mike Little wrote on speculation by the F-8 series aircraft in combat air patrol aerial refueling (CAP) mission in the region may reach the second island chain operational range of the article excerpts. Extract the oil boom in the analysis of our performance -6 tanker, he believes that the media tend to underestimate the ability of this tanker.

article analyzes that, in fact, the largest number of the Soviet era, the most widely used is the Tu-16 tanker, “Badger” bombers of the tanker modifications (China H-6 bombers Tu-16 bombers for the The domestic version). The Royal Air Force until recently a very long period of time using the Tu-16 aircraft specifications and performance similar to the “winner” bomber variant tanker. Especially considering that the H-oil oil -6 aircraft’s main targets for the grant F-8 series (such as the F-8D) fighters, and this aircraft is relatively low in oil. Therefore, the H-oil -6 aircraft refueling performance may know more than people in general.

The article said that China is not the first body will be converted into bombers, tankers and other countries. Such as the former Soviet Union people had two: the first Tu-16 bombers that they will be converted into map-16Z tanker, the tanker can always be converted back to the bomber’s configuration, attack mission. They then developed a map-16N. Figure-16N can load 42.2 tons of aviation fuel, fuel capacity to mount about their normal fuel capacity of more than 8 tons. To achieve this target, the aircraft can take to enhance the structural strength of the method, or to the aircraft weight loss of about 5 tons. Figure-16N because the maximum takeoff weight for the Tu-16 aircraft still 75.8 tons, author of the article that the Soviets adopted a method of reducing aircraft weight. The Chinese engineering approach, the authors analyze the thinking and the Soviet Union to be similar, but not so radical. Author analyzes China’s H-oil -6 aircraft can make aviation fuel loading capacity increase of 4 tons, so as to achieve 37 tons of oil – project is placed in the bomb bay tank. The fuel standard and widely used in the West as a medium-sized C-130 refueling tanker modified at the same level. C-130 tanker aircraft also primarily for refueling.

the protection of F-8 aircraft operations, the author’s own experience of an air refueling mission projections, 2 H -6 aircraft can protect the oil from the 12 F-8D aircraft composed of three combat air patrol (CAP) in 1200 km radius of the formation on operations. 800 km, refueling planes to the intersection and the opportunity for aerial refueling, at this distance, if any F-8D aircraft refueling in case of failure, the aircraft itself will have enough fuel to fly back to their own base. Combat cruise in the 1200 km radius, the aircraft can continue after the first out of fuel, oil -6 H will fly back to base. Then take off the tanker aircraft will continue to support the former out of combat missions.

Similarly, the H-oil -6 F-8 fighter aircraft to support combat radius of 1,500 kilometers, but the tanker – the proportion of aircraft will be adjusted to 1 to 4. When an oil -6 H 2 F-8 fighter aircraft to protect, then you can achieve a combat radius of 1800 km, but for the H-oil-6 and F-8 fighters who are more reluctant (not that other, Pilots continued to sit in a narrow cockpit ejection seat on the five and a half hours is not easy to live!). However, a longer combat radius, such as combat radius of 2,000 kilometers, can still “after the rendezvous refueling operations” to achieve. This is the U.S. Air Force refueling method with the British Royal Air Force combat missions one of the standard fuel and air are widely used in other countries. For example, in the 1982 Falklands War, Argentine Air Force frequently carry out a “to do the post-war Fair Go” task.

authors believe that, even if China’s purchase of IL-78 tanker, the H-oil -6 aircraft will not be replaced. An Australian study reported that medium/small tanker has significant advantages: flexibility and relatively low purchase and operating costs, and no money for Australia to maintain a large tanker with a combination of medium-sized tanker team regretted. United States, Britain, Russia with medium – large tanker combination. Now it seems that China will follow the same path.

It would appear that the H-oil-6 is a very practical model. Invest less in the case of the H-oil -6 aircraft a strong impetus to the PLA air force and naval air forces power projection range. According to foreign media reports, China is one kind of flight uses a new type of turbofan engine H-6 aircraft. The new engine greatly improved the conditions of the aircraft’s fuel consumption, increased range. If converted into tankers, will significantly improve their fuel capacity.

(author of the article for the former U.S. Air Force tanker pilot Mike Little. Mike Little in the KC-135 tanker has accumulated over 4,000 hours of flying experience.)