New Aerial Vehicle seen in Chinese H-6 Bomber

[ORAC]

https://www.janes.com/defence-news/news-detail/new-aerial-vehicle-seen-on-chinese-h-6-bomber

A Chinese Xi'an Aircraft Company (XAC) H-6MW bomber has been photographed in flight while carrying a new type of air-launched vehicle.

The H-6MW is a specialised, cruise missile-carrying variant of the People's Liberation Army Air Force's (PLAAF's) strategic bomber. Janes has previously assessed that the aircraft is the airborne launch platform for the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC) WZ-8 supersonic, high-altitude reconnaissance unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV).

However, the new aerial vehicle seen carried by the bomber differs in design from the WZ-8, suggesting it could be part of a new programme to develop a supersonic or hypersonic air vehicle. A photograph of the H-6MW carrying the new aerial vehicle first appeared on Chinese social media from the third week of April. The programme is likely inspired by the WZ-8 programme.….


https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/277x182/image_60cddbd4bfd6227e4e2a9796b4a880d5b54e7565.jpeg

https://www.twz.com/air/black-mystery-craft-spotted-slung-under-chinese-h-6-bomber

Black Mystery Craft Spotted Slung Under Chinese H-6 Bomber

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/1480x1456/image_53023e2f4b2efcbef8e9dd0e2fc2319169c75aec.jpeg

[Davef68]

Hmmm , looks a bit like this 'stealth fighter' kit from the 80s
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/944x604/s_l1600_0755124cfa4084963e6fa301defadf95ce4fa178.jpg

[TURIN]

Didn't the SR71 carry a similar looking drone?

[Jhieminga]

That was the M-21/D-21 project. After a failed release and a crash the D-21 drones were fitted with solid boosters and released from a B-52.
https://www.sr-71.org/blackbird/m-21.php
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lockheed_D-21
Only four operational missions were flown, all over China with the last one disappearing somewhere over Yunnan. Perhaps they found it...;)

(just kidding, they did).