A new air-launched missile, ballistic, or hypersonic.? The missile looks very similar to the CM-401, previously known as a truck- or ship-launched anti-ship ballistic missile (ASBM).
The initial photos show H-6K serial number 11097 with a pair of the new missiles which are presented in inert, on the center pylons under its wings, arriving at the Zhuhai Airport for the Airshow China trade exhibition.
In terms of its appearance, the mystery weapon has obvious similarities to the CM-401 ASBM, suggesting it may be an adaptation of this same missile for an air-launched application.
Since then, not a huge amount more has become known about the CM-401, although it’s thought to have a maximum diameter of approximately 2.8 feet. That puts it in broadly the same class as the Russian Iskander quasi-ballistic missile, which has also been adapted for air launch, as the Kinzhal hypersonic missile.
Already, however, there has been some suggestion that the original CM-401 might actually have a much greater range than CASIC claims, potentially even being able to reach targets at up to 600 miles, although this remains unconfirmed. This could be realized, at least to some degree, via a reduction in warhead size that also better fits the ASBM role.
However, the H-6 does seem to be fast becoming a ‘weapon truck’ of choice for carrying outsized stores like this, as well as high-speed drones. The Chinese are clearly looking at the H-6 in a similar light to how the U.S. Air Force views the B-52. With that in mind, even when the H-20 stealth bomber arrives, the H-6 could still be very useful for launching larger payloads at standoff ranges that also allow these increasingly vulnerable aircraft to stay well away from enemy defenses.
#hypersonicmissile #albm #china #h6k #kinzhal #russia #hypersonic

свернуть