Xi'an H-6

The Xi'an H-6 (Chinese: 轰-6; pinyin: Hōng-6) is a Chinese twin-engine jet heavy bomber manufactured by the Xi'an Aircraft Industrial Corporation. It is a license-built version of the Soviet Tupolev Tu-16 and remains the primary bomber aircraft of the People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF).

Delivery of the Tu-16 to China began in 1958, and a license production agreement with the Soviets was signed in the late 1950s. By November 2020, the PLAAF had as many as 231 H-6s, and continued to build the aircraft, which has been extensively modified and upgraded.

The H-6N nuclear variant is a redesigned modernized strategic bomber carrying the JL-1 air-launched ballistic missile. As of 2025, it is believed to be the only Chinese military aircraft assigned a nuclear mission: 20 bombers are assigned up to 20 missiles with the 106th Air Brigade at the airbase in Neixiang County under Central Theater Command Air Force. It is capable of aerial refueling including via the Xi'an Y-20's tanker variants. The Xi'an H-20 is expected to eventually assume this nuclear role. The H-6 dropped live nuclear weapons in nine of China's nuclear tests, and served alongside the Harbin H-5 bomber and Nanchang Q-5 fighter before their nuclear roles were removed.

The H-6K conventional variant can carry YJ-12 supersonic cruise and YJ-21 hypersonic ballistic anti-ship missiles, as well as land-attack cruise missiles including CJ-10 variants. It uses upgraded Soviet Soloviev D-30KP engines. The H-6G and H-6J maritime variants are believed to be in service with the People's Liberation Army Navy Air Force carrying anti-ship missiles.

From 2019, H-6K and H-6N bombers began carrying out joint patrols with Russian Tu-95MS strategic bombers. As of 2025, ten such joint flights have occurred, resulting in interceptions by South Korean, Japanese, and US fighter aircraft. As a tool of power projection, H-6 movements are significant to the China's disputes in the South China Sea and the political status of Taiwan. During the 1980s Tanker War, a theater of the Iran–Iraq War, the Iraqi Air Force extensively employed H-6s armed with the Chinese-exported C-601 anti-ship missile, damaging at least 15 Iranian oil tankers and bulk carriers. In 1991, Iraq's three remaining H-6 bombers were destroyed on the ground by the US during the Gulf War.