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| Chinese H-6K Strategic Bomber (File Photo) |
Beijing has many reasons to develop the next generation of the PLA Air Force's strategic bombers, according to an article in Shanghai's Guancha Syndicate.
The article was written in response to the Air Force's development of a model to replace the obsolete H-6 bomber, as stated by Chinese defense expert Zhao Lei.
Compared to the intercontinental ballistic missile and ballistic missile submarine, the strategic bomber is capable of inflicting more psychological damage on China's opponents. Even without actually dropping the bomb, the image of bombers flying above a populated city alone can bring fear to its residents. Living under the looming shadow of carpet bombing would make it harder for any government to gain popular support in the event of a declaration of war on China, said the report.
Even though the land-based ballistic missile and ballistic missile submarine can deliver the same results, it is this psychological effect that has kept strategic bombers in development in both the United States and Russia. On its end, China can no longer count on the H-6, originally designed in the 1950s to be the backbone of the PLA Air Force's strategic bombing fleet.
Read the full story at DefenseNews