China confirms Y-20B heavy transport aircraft can be converted into aerial refuelling tanker

China has confirmed that its new Y-20B heavy transport aircraft can be converted into an aerial refuelling tanker, potentially boosting PLA Air Force capacities deeper into the western Pacific.

The official confirmation aligns with long-standing open-source intelligence.

Andreas Rupprecht, an aviation analyst who specialises in the Chinese military, said observers had tracked the capability since the third Y-20B prototype was spotted with in-flight refuelling pods in January 2022.

Further evidence emerged in April 2023, when the first Y-20B in standard military grey appeared at Kaifeng airbase bearing characteristic refuelling alignment markings.

The significance lies in what the capability could mean operationally.