The timely introduction of the PAK DA bomber appears to be an unlikely prospect.
While the U.S. Air Force continues to make progress with its next-generation B-21 stealth bomber program, other nations are working on fielding their own near-peer platforms. Both Moscow and Beijing have revealed their objectives to develop the PAK DA and H-20 platforms, respectively. According to Russian state-run media outlets, the Tupolev-designed PAK DA is nearing production. Designed to directly rival the American-made Spirit and Raider bombers, the Russian aircraft promises subsonic speed and a reduced radar cross-section. However, Moscow remains slammed with international sanctions and a depleting resource stockpile amid the ongoing Ukraine conflict. The timely introduction of the PAK DA appears to be an unlikely prospect.
What We Know About the Russian PAK DA Stealth Bomber
The initial acknowledgment of the PAK DA program dates back to the late 1990s when preliminary requirements were laid down by the newly installed post-USSR government. PAK DA, translated from Russian to “Promising Aviation Complex for Long-Range Aviation,” is being built from the ground up by the Tupolev Design Bureau. According to some initial reports, the upcoming stealth bomber is designed to be heavily based on the supersonic Tu-160. However, more recent statements put forth by Kremlin officials assert that the bomber is of an entirely new design.
While the exact specs and capabilities surrounding the PAK DA remain a mystery, several released images of the platform prototype have been scrutinized by analysts. The aircraft’s flying wing configuration and reduced radar cross-section certainly boost the bomber’s stealth and aerodynamic efficiency. In fact, many of the PAK DA’s features mimic the American-made B-2 Spirit bomber. China’s upcoming H-20 also sports a similar design. In terms of ordnance and other capabilities, the PAK DA is expected to have a range of 7,500 miles and will likely carry upwards of 30 tons of weapons. The armaments package will include conventional strike weapons as well as nuclear and hypersonic weapons.
What About Its Competitors?
Northrop Grumman’s B-21 Raider stealth bomber is expected to lead the way in terms of next-generation capabilities when it officially enters into service. Born from the Air Force’s Long-Range Strike Bomber program, the Raider hosts cutting-edge features like a shortened wingspan and heftier armament-lugging capacity that sets this bomber apart from its predecessors. Additionally, the Raider reportedly will incorporate modular systems that will enable upgrades as future technologies become available. Similar to the data link connectivity included in the F-35 Lightning II, this will serve as a cost-saving measure down the line.
China is also fielding its first-ever stealth bomber, dubbed the Xi’an H-20. While limited details surrounding the upcoming program have been divulged, the new bomber likely sports a reduced cross-section as well, making it more challenging for adversarial aircraft to detect. Western analysts also believe that the Chinese bomber could have a range large enough to enable it to reach beyond the First Island Chain off the coast of China and into the Philippines, Japan, or even the U.S. territory of Guam.
About the Author: Maya Carlin
Maya Carlin, National Security Writer with The National Interest, is an analyst with the Center for Security Policy and a former Anna Sobol Levy Fellow at IDC Herzliya in Israel. She has by-lines in many publications, including The National Interest, Jerusalem Post, and Times of Israel. You can follow her on Twitter: @MayaCarlin. Carlin has over 1,000 articles published over the last several years on various defense issues.
Image: Wikimedia Commons.
