Artist's concept of a Y-20U with modern engines. Image via by78/SDF
Forbes: A Glimpse Into The Future: A Chinese Tanker Refuelling Chinese Stealth Fighters
The Chinese air force needs a strategic refueling tanker—badly. And it apparently is working hard to develop one. If and when it succeeds, this is what that tanker might look like.
An artist’s concept that appeared in a Chinese publication depicts a tanker variant of the People’s Liberation Army Air Force’s Y-20 airlifter topping off the tanks of two J-20 stealth fighters.
Most strikingly, the Y-20U tanker in the illustration boasts modern turbofan engines. In reality, the initial version of the tanker is likely to fly with older, less powerful engines that could limit its performance.
Tankers help to extend the flying range of fighters and other warplanes. They’re especially important in the western Pacific, where the likely battle zones can be a thousand miles or more from major landmasses and their large airfields.
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WNU Editor: You have to give credit to the Chinese where credit is due. They recognized that they have a problem, and they throw everything at it to solve it. Not having enough refuelling tankers for their air force has been an issue that Beijing has been aware of for a long time. No more now. I predict that in a short time they will be having more than enough refuelling tankers to meet their needs.
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