China's air force has shown a new tanker version of its Y-20 transport aircraft in an official photograph, the South China Morning Post reports.
The image, published by the military newspaper PLA Daily on 14 October, shows a grey four-engine aircraft with refuelling pods under its wings and its rear ramp lowered as a vehicle prepares to load equipment. The caption described it only as an air force unit doing loading training. On Monday, the state broadcaster China Media Group and a PLA social media account identified the aircraft as a Y-20B.
A Chinese military commentator had already argued on 13 October that this multi-role tanker-transport variant was in service, based on photos of the aircraft in air force livery. According to the commentator, it can carry enough fuel internally to refuel medium or heavy fighters without extra tanks in the cargo hold.
Source: South China Morning Post
