[The World Through Weapons] Why Are All Stealth Bombers Shaped Like Rays?

The next-generation stealth bomber of the United States, the B-21 [Image source=Northrop Grumman website/www.northropgrumman.com]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] It has recently been reported that China is developing a stealth bomber called the H-20 in response to the United States' next-generation strategic bomber, the B-21 stealth bomber. Although the appearance of the bomber China is developing has not yet been revealed, it is expected to have a manta ray shape similar to the U.S. stealth bombers.

Earlier on the 4th (local time), Hong Kong's South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported, citing Chinese military sources, that China is expected to showcase the supersonic long-range stealth strategic bomber H-20 at the Zhuhai International Airshow in November this year. China is promoting it as a weapon capable of countering the U.S. B-21. It was revealed that the bomber has a flight range of 8,500 km and a maximum takeoff weight of 200 tons (t), making it a very large bomber.

However, even if this bomber actually comes out, it is said that it will be difficult to match the performance of the B-21, let alone the B-2 stealth bomber developed in the 1980s. This is because the B-2's range exceeded 11,000 km, and China, which still has limited development of its own fighter jet engines, is judged to find it difficult to build such a huge strategic bomber.

The appearance of Javaoi seeds, which inspired the design of the B-2 bomber during its production [Image source=YouTube]

It is interesting that the B-2, B-21, and even the conceptual images of China's H-20 all resemble manta rays. In fact, airplanes like these strategic bombers, whose entire airframe resembles a wing, are called 'flying wings.' In Korea, they are particularly described as manta ray-shaped bombers.

In reality, what was referenced during the development of the B-2 was not a manta ray but the seed of the 'Javan Cucumber.' The seed is located where the B-2 cockpit is, and the entire seed is wrapped by thin transparent membrane wings. This flying wing design minimizes air resistance, reducing energy loss during flight and minimizing noise, making it an optimized form for stealth bombers. Similarly, manta rays are hard to detect while swimming because their shape reduces water resistance.

Conceptual Image of Chinese H-20 Bomber
[Image Source=Yonhap News]

When the early B-2 bomber was developed, it was known as a very fearsome strategic weapon because it could carry nuclear weapons. In the 1980s, when the B-2 bomber was developed, stealth technology was introduced for the first time, so the B-2 bomber is known to have performed many reconnaissance missions in addition to its original bombing missions.

The newly developed B-21 is planned to be specialized not only in bombing and reconnaissance but also in combat command, intelligence gathering, and squadron attacks. It is expected to become a formidable force moving along the front lines together with stealth fighters like the F-35 and F-22. In the case of stealth bombers, operational capability must support not only the technology of the fighter itself but also how it is utilized, so it is forecasted that China’s H-20 will still find it very difficult to catch up with the B-21.