The Chinese think they can shoot down the US B 21 bomber with their own hypersonic missiles.
As part of the ongoing competition between China and the United States to develop cutting-edge stealth aircraft, a recent study by a group of Chinese researchers suggests that China's new J-20 stealth aircraft could have a significant advantage over the B- 21 US Raider in future air battles, the South China Morning Post reported.
The research team, led by associate professor Chen Jun of Northwestern Polytechnical University in Xian, conducted a virtual duel between the two aircraft to evaluate the potential outcomes of a conflict.
The study's findings indicate that with advanced hardware and innovative tactics, China could potentially detect and eliminate the B-21 Raider, a cornerstone of the US Air Force's Penetrating Counter Air (PCA) strategy, designed for potential conflicts with China.
In a simulated scenario, Chinese air-to-air missiles, which boast a top speed of Mach 6, successfully shot down a B-21-like stealth platform and its accompanying drone.
B 21 Raider
The researchers noted, however, that a counterattack by the United States could lead to a prolonged and complex battle for air dominance. According to the team, “it could take hours for the dust to settle” in such a scenario.
The B-21 Raider, which made its maiden flight on Nov. 10, plays a critical role in the U.S. Air Force's PCA strategy. Despite its cruising speed of around 620 miles per hour (mph), or 1,000 kilometers per hour (kph), the stealth bomber has a small radar signature, similar to that of a mosquito, allowing it to penetrate deep into enemy territory and to deliver a significant load of missiles or bombs.
Unlike previous bombers, the B-21 can operate stealth drones and carry numerous air-to-air missiles, making it a formidable platform for air combat. This strategic advantage poses a considerable threat to China's air defense, which relies heavily on radar warning systems.
The Chinese research team showed off some of China's new capabilities in the simulation, revealing a stealth aircraft with advanced technologies such as "compliant skin" to detect the environment without radar and maintain radio silence.
China's hypersonic missiles, equipped with a unique "pulse engine" that allows output power to be adjusted, follow the unconventional "Qian Xuesen" trajectory proposed in the 1940s, making them difficult to predict and highly effective against stealth aircraft.
Despite the hardware advantages, the researchers emphasized that victory is not guaranteed by advanced technology alone. In a simulated combat, the US stealth plane detected a missile launch in time and avoided the attack. However, the Chinese missile adapted by changing targets mid-flight, catching the US aircraft by surprise.
The study suggests a change in decision-making during air battles, incorporating a greater degree of freedom that allows for rapid decision-making transitions between human pilots, drones and missiles using AI technology.
Obviously the simulation is what it is: a simulation and it has no real value, indeed if it tells us anything, it is about Chinese ambitions. As for the possibilities and capabilities of the B-21, these are mainly linked to the type of strategic, long-range weapons it can carry. The purpose of the B-21 is not to enter adversary territories, but to act as a sort of mobile remote launch platform. This is why Chinese simulations leave the time they find.
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The article The Chinese think they can shoot down the US B 21 bomber with their own hypersonic missiles. comes from Economic Scenarios .
This is a machine translation of a post published on Scenari Economici at the URL https://scenarieconomici.it/i-cinesi-pensano-di-poter-abbattere-il-bombardiere-usa-b-21-con-i-propri-missili-ipersonici/ on Tue, 28 Nov 2023 06:15:17 +0000.