Stating that the US made high-profile announcements over the past week on two of its strategic
bombers, the fully upgraded B-52 and the brand new B-21, the Global Times (October 26)
quoted Chinese experts saying that these aircraft are likely to become the US Air Force's core
strategic strike force in the next few decades and China should be prepared to counter the planes
and also learn from them. Fu Qianshao, a Chinese military aviation expert, told the Global
Times (October 24) that the US now operates three types of strategic bombers - the firstgeneration bomber B-52, the-third generation bomber B-1B and the fourth-generation bomber
B-2. According to the US Air Force's plan, the B-1B and the B-2 would retire after the
development of the B-21 is complete. This means only the oldest B-52 and the latest B-21 will
remain in service, and the duo will become the US Air Force's core strategic strike force in the
next few decades. He and Zhang Xuefeng, another Chinese military expert, said China needs
to prepare for this US tactic, as the two types of bombers could be deployed against China.
They added, however, that no matter how many upgrades the B-52 gets, it can never become
stealth-capable, and it can only launch standoff missiles. China should develop its capabilities
in long-range detection and long-range interception by deploying warplanes and warships
further away from its homeland into the blue-water regions. The B-21, on the other hand, has
a shorter range than the B-2 and relies on operating bases, so attacking those bases and airfields
where it is deployed is the way to go, analysts said. Fu Qianshao said China can also learn from
the US' strategic bomber development and once China's next-generation bomber, the H-20, is
developed, it will be at the same level as the B-21, and likely surpass it in some respects.
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