Engineers will face tough technical challenges

Chinese aviation engineers will have to solve a host of technological and technical difficulties before they can develop a reliable long-range strategic bomber, according to experts.

"Though China is developing large airliners and heavy transport planes, we still lack expertise and experience in the design and manufacture of large aircraft," said Wang Ya'nan, deputy editor-in-chief of Aerospace Knowledge.

"A long-range strategic bomber requires a state-of-the-art structure and aerodynamic configuration as well as a high-performance turbofan engine, and all of these are major problems facing the Chinese aviation industry.