China’s People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) recently sent to the isolated Air Base, near the small village of Xingning four Xian Aircraft Corporation (XAC) H-6K strategic bombers to conduct combat exercises.

Images from civilian satellite company ImageSat International show four Xian H-6 Chinese strategic bombers in Xingning Airbase, for the first time in few years.

The official Twitter account of ImageSat alleged that “The bombers are deployed 450 km (280 miles) from Taiwan coasts.”

According to the current information, Chinese H-6K designed for long-range attacks and stand-off attacks. It is considered as a strategic bomber. The H-6 could carry bomb loads ranging between six thousand and eighteen thousand pounds with a combat radius of 1,100 miles. Additionally, the modernized bomber has a combat radius of roughly 2,200 miles.

Sources familiar with the matter said China’s PLAAF utilizes the H-6K primarily as a missile carrier, with the type able to carry up to six missiles such as the CJ-10 cruise missile or YJ-12 supersonic anti-ship missiles on underwing hardpoints.

China is also reportedly developing a new sub-variant of the H-6K, with a provision for air-to-air refueling.

#China: Four Xian H-6 #Chinese strategic bombers were detected by #ISI in #Xingning #Airbase, for the first time in few years. The #bombers are deployed 450 km from #Taiwan coasts.#H6 #Xian #Philippines #Vietnam pic.twitter.com/2dOuVE7V8R

— ImageSat Intl. (@ImageSatIntl) 4 March 2019