China’s CCTV military channel today released a video interview with a pilot of H-6K bomber, the pilot named Sun Luyu talked about his feelings when flying around the island of Taiwan: “The first time I went felt very fresh, after going more times, my feeling is ‘who hasn’t been around in his own yard’, I mean this is our country’s territory.”
Sun paused for a moment to think before saying “his own yard,” demonstrating a cautious attitude that also reflects the restraint of Chinese pilots when flying around Taiwan.
There have been many media reports of Chinese and Taiwanese pilots exchanging words over the Taiwan Strait, but since both sides of the Taiwan Strait are currently adhering to the principle of not firing the first shot, frontline officers and soldiers are strictly required not to use force unless ordered to.
Nevertheless, this H-6K pilot was mocked by some Chinese netizens after he could not resist making such provocative remarks: “Since it’s your own yard, why don’t you go in and sit down instead of flying around,” which shows the impatient attitude of a considerable number of mainland Chinese people towards the delayed resolution of the Taiwan issue.
The H-6K is a deeply improved version of the H-6, first revealed in 2007, with a redesigned body, a large radar in the nose, a “glass cockpit” in the cockpit, updated electronics, an ejection escape system, Russian-made D30-KP-2 engines, and a total of six mount points under the wings.
The H-6K bomber’s main airborne weapons include air-to-ground and cruise missiles, with a combat radius of over 3,500 kilometers.
Recently, the H-6K bombers have been seen over the Taiwan Strait, the South China Sea and the Western Pacific, making it China’s most powerful bomber for strategic deterrence.