China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) on Monday released images of the long-range bomber H-6 which was armed with air-launched cruise missiles during the exercise Justice Mission-2025which was implemented around Taiwan, according to a statement by Eastern Theater Command.
The aircraft shown in the official images is equipped with two air-to-surface missiles identified by open source analysts as the YJ-12, a supersonic anti-ship missile developed by the China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation.
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According to the released materials, the bomber formation carried out long-range maritime strike training, focusing on long-range deployment, coordinated strike operations and joint precision engagement.
The PLA stated that the exercise assessed the force’s ability to carry out operations beyond the island chain, by integrating air, sea, land and missile elements. Eastern Theater Command described the activities as oriented towards long-range blockade and strike coordination scenarios.
The YJ-12 missile is designed to penetrate modern naval air defense systems at high speed. Academic publications and military analyzes estimate the missile’s range to be between 250 to 400 kilometers, depending on the launch profile, as well as a speed ranging from around Mach 2 in low sea level flight to more than Mach 3 when launched from greater altitudes. Estimates of the mass of the warhead vary, between around 200 and 500 kilograms, with some of its destructive power also being attributed to the high kinetic energy in the terminal phase.
Comparisons in international studies show that the range of the YJ-12 can exceed that of Western anti-ship missiles such as the Harpoon, as well as allowing launch from beyond the engagement range of naval systems such as the SM-2 and RIM-162 ESSM, depending on operational conditions.
The H-6 bomber, a platform that has been in service for decades in the PLA Air Force and Naval Aviation, has undergone various adaptations to operate modern long-range attack weaponry. When armed with air-launched anti-ship missiles, the platform is used in long-range maritime strike missions from mainland China.
The Justice Mission-2025 exercise is still ongoing and, according to Beijing, involves various branches of China’s armed forces in joint operations around Taiwan.
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Sources and pictures: Defence Blog | Telegram @china3army. This content is created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
