Today I will introduce to you the little-known Chinese tanker-20 air tanker. This is the first large air tanker independently developed by China, and it is also a strategic weapon of the Chinese Air Force, which will greatly enhance the long-range combat capability of the Chinese Air Force, allowing main combat aircraft such as J-20 to fly farther and bombers such as H-6K to hit more accurately.
The Y-20 air tanker is based on the Y-20 strategic transport aircraft, and its appearance is basically the same as that of the Y-20, but a refueling pod is added to the tail of the aircraft, which can be refueled for other aircraft in the air by means of hoses and probes. The maximum take-off weight of the Y-20 is 220 tons, the maximum fuel load is 113.5 tons, and the maximum air refueling capacity is 75 tons, all of which have reached the world's advanced level, even surpassing the KC-135 tanker in service in the United States.
The entry into service of the Y-20 air tanker is of great significance to the Chinese Air Force. For a long time, the Chinese Air Force lacked large-scale aerial refueling capabilities, and only a small number of Y-8 and Y-9 modified medium tanker aircraft, which had limited fuel load and refueling capacity, could not meet the needs of long-range operations. The emergence of the Y-20 air tanker will completely change this situation and make a qualitative leap in the long-range combat capability of the Chinese Air Force.
The biggest advantage of the Y-20 air tanker is that it can refuel all the main combat aircraft of the Chinese Air Force, including J-20, J-16, J-10C, H-6K, Y-20, etc. This means that the fighters, bombers, transport planes, and early warning planes of the Chinese Air Force can greatly extend their endurance and combat radius through refueling in the air, and enhance their combat effectiveness and flexibility.
For example, the J-20 stealth fighter is the air supremacy of the Chinese Air Force, and its combat radius is already the largest among the world's fifth-generation fighters, but if it is supported by the Tank-20 air tanker, its combat radius will be larger, and it can even fly across continents to strike at important enemy targets. The YF-20 air tanker can also provide fuel for long-range heavy fighters such as the J-16, allowing them to gain air supremacy outside the first island chain and provide air cover for the Chinese Air Force's long-range strikes.
Another example is the H-6K bomber, a long-range strike weapon for the Chinese Air Force, which can carry multiple cruise missiles to deliver precision strikes against enemy targets in the far seas. However, the combat radius of the H-6K is also limited, and without the support of air tankers, its strike range will be limited, and it will be easily detected and intercepted by enemy AWACS aircraft and fighters. With the support of the Y-20 air tanker, the strike range of the H-6K will be greatly expanded, and it can strike at important enemy bases such as Guam and Alaska, and more flexible tactics and routes can be used to make the enemy defenseless.
The Y-20 air tanker can also provide support for other aircraft of the Chinese Air Force, such as the Y-20 transport aircraft, the Air Police-2000 early warning aircraft, electronic warfare aircraft, etc. These aircraft are an important support force of the Chinese Air Force, and they can provide intelligence, command, communications, jamming, and other support for the Chinese Air Force's operations. With the support of the Y-20 air tanker, the air time and combat range of these aircraft will also be greatly increased, improving the overall combat capability of the Chinese Air Force.
For example, if the Chinese Air Force needs to quickly deliver fighter jets such as J-10C or J-16 to regions such as Africa or the Middle East, it will need the cooperation of the Y-20 transport aircraft and the Y-20 air tanker to achieve long-range air transfer. In this way, the Chinese Air Force can demonstrate its presence and influence on a global scale, providing protection for China's national interests.
In short, the Y-20 air tanker is a strategic weapon of the Chinese Air Force, which will enable the Chinese Air Force to achieve a qualitative leap in its long-range combat capability, so that the fighters, bombers, transport planes, and early warning planes of the Chinese Air Force can fly farther, hit more accurately, and better complete various combat missions, so as to provide strong air support for China's national defense and international status. #军事#