{
  "id": "h-6",
  "name": "H-6",
  "aliases": [
    "Xian H-6",
    "Hong-6"
  ],
  "domain": "air",
  "country": "CHN",
  "category": "Strategic bomber",
  "status": "in-service",
  "fielded": 1969,
  "operators": [
    "CHN"
  ],
  "prolif_count": 1,
  "summary": "The Xian H-6 (Hōng-6) is a license-built version of the Soviet Tupolev Tu-16 twin-engine jet bomber, built for China's People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF).",
  "specs": [
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "Manufacturer",
      "section": "system",
      "v": "Xi'an Aircraft Industrial Corporation",
      "src": [
        "weg-h-6"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "crew",
      "v": 4,
      "src": [
        "weg-h-6"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "length_m",
      "v": 34.8,
      "src": [
        "weg-h-6"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "width_m",
      "v": 33,
      "src": [
        "weg-h-6"
      ],
      "conf": "medium",
      "label": "Wingspan"
    },
    {
      "k": "height_m",
      "v": 10.36,
      "src": [
        "weg-h-6"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "Wing area",
      "section": "dims",
      "v": "165 m2",
      "src": [
        "weg-h-6"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "mass_kg",
      "v": 37200,
      "src": [
        "weg-h-6"
      ],
      "conf": "medium",
      "label": "Empty weight"
    },
    {
      "k": "mass_kg",
      "v": 76000,
      "src": [
        "weg-h-6"
      ],
      "conf": "medium",
      "label": "Gross weight"
    },
    {
      "k": "engine_name",
      "v": "2 × Xian WP-8 turbojet engines",
      "src": [
        "weg-h-6"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "Thrust-to-weight",
      "section": "mobility",
      "v": "Thrust/weight: 0.24",
      "src": [
        "weg-h-6"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "range_km",
      "v": 6000,
      "src": [
        "weg-h-6"
      ],
      "conf": "medium",
      "note": "6,000 km (3,700 mi, 3,200 nmi)"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "Combat range",
      "section": "mobility",
      "v": "6,000 km (3,700 mi, 3,200 nmi)",
      "src": [
        "weg-h-6"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "Cruise speed",
      "section": "mobility",
      "v": "768 km/h (477 mph, 415 kn) / 0.75M",
      "src": [
        "weg-h-6"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "ceiling_m",
      "v": 12800,
      "src": [
        "weg-h-6"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "NBC Protection",
      "section": "protection",
      "v": "Yes",
      "src": [
        "weg-h-6"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "Missile Weapon Systems: available missiles",
      "section": "armament",
      "v": "6 or 7 KD-88 missile (anti-ship or air- to-surface); YJ-100 (CJ-10) anti-ship missile; C-601 anti-ship missile; YJ-62 (C-602) anti-ship missile; C-301 anti-ship missile; C-101 anti-ship missile; CM-802A; YJ-12 anti-ship missile; DF-21D (H-6N);",
      "src": [
        "weg-h-6"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "Bombs: bomb bay capacity",
      "section": "armament",
      "v": "9,000 kg (20,000 lb) of free-fall weapons",
      "src": [
        "weg-h-6"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "Bombs: available bombs",
      "section": "armament",
      "v": "GB6; CS/BBC5; GB2A; GB5",
      "src": [
        "weg-h-6"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "armament",
      "v": "Nudelman-Rikhter NR-23; SY-1 (Silkworm)",
      "src": [
        "weg-h-6"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "speed_kmh",
      "v": 1050,
      "note": "Source card lists 1,050 with a knots unit; treated as km/h",
      "src": [
        "weg-h-6"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    }
  ],
  "payloads": [
    {
      "name": "Nudelman-Rikhter NR-23",
      "role": "Single-barrel, short recoil-operated 23 mm (0.90 in) cannon.",
      "src": [
        "weg-h-6"
      ],
      "conf": "medium",
      "caps": {
        "Type": "Single-barrel, short recoil-operated 23 mm (0.90 in) cannon.",
        "Caliber": "23 mm",
        "Rate of fire": "800–850 rpm"
      }
    },
    {
      "name": "SY-1 (Silkworm)",
      "role": "Anti-Ship Missile",
      "src": [
        "weg-h-6"
      ],
      "conf": "medium",
      "caps": {
        "Type": "Anti-Ship Missile",
        "Warhead": "Shaped charge high explosive",
        "Warhead weight": "513 kg",
        "Speed": "Mach 0.8",
        "Length": "6.55 m"
      },
      "range_km": 150
    }
  ],
  "variants": [
    {
      "name": "Production Variants",
      "text": "Xian H-6 – Conventional bomber. Tupolev Tu-16 produced under license in China, first flew in 1959. A prototype conducted China’s first aerial nuclear weapon test at Lop Nor on 14 May 1965. Xian H-6A – Nuclear bomber. Xian H-6B – Aerial reconnaissance variant.",
      "src": [
        "weg-h-6"
      ]
    },
    {
      "name": "Aerial refuelling versions",
      "text": "Xian HY-6 (Hongzhaji You-6) – First successful in-flight refuelling tanker variant in Chinese service. Retained PV-23 fire control system of H-6 and thus can still be deployed as a missile launcher.",
      "src": [
        "weg-h-6"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "art": "bomber",
  "image": {
    "file": "h-6.jpg",
    "thumb": "h-6-thumb.jpg",
    "credit": "日本防衛省·統合幕僚監部",
    "license": "CC BY 4.0",
    "url": "https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:H-6K_20211_20151127.jpg",
    "title": "File:H-6K 20211 20151127.jpg"
  },
  "verified": null,
  "changelog": [
    {
      "date": "2026-10-05",
      "change": "Entry created from the Worldwide Equipment Guide (ODIN)"
    },
    {
      "date": "2026-10-06",
      "change": "Added photo (CC BY 4.0)"
    }
  ],
  "url": "https://www.defensepedia.com/systems/h-6.html",
  "sources": {
    "weg-h-6": {
      "title": "H-6 (Hong-6) Chinese Strategic Bomber",
      "publisher": "U.S. Army TRADOC G-2 Worldwide Equipment Guide (ODIN)",
      "url": "https://odin.t2com.army.mil/WEG/Asset/H-6_Hong-6_Chinese_Strategic_Bomber",
      "published": "2026-03-20",
      "tier": 1,
      "checked": "2026-10-10"
    }
  }
}