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The \u2018B\u2019 variant of the People\u2019s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) Y-20 strategic airlifter made its first overseas deployment on Apr. 20, 2026, when it flew for a \u201crepatriation mission\u201d to South Korea. The aircraft returned on Apr. 22, transporting the remains of deceased Chinese People\u2019s Volunteers (CPV) soldiers who fought in the Korean War against the U.S and South Korea between 1950 and 1953.<\/p>\n
Visuals of the first leg of the journey showed only a front view of the Y-20B taking off. A brief statement mentioned the aircraft took off in the afternoon of Apr. 20 from an unidentified airport in central China.<\/p>\n
For the return leg, the aircraft took off from Incheon International Airport on Apr. 22 and landed at Taoxian International Airport in Shenyang. The Y-20B was welcomed by a water cannon salute upon landing, after being escorted by four J-20 fighters in Chinese airspace, official visuals by Xinhua<\/em> showed.<\/p>\n The remains of 12 Chinese People\u2019s Volunteers (CPV) martyrs who lost their lives during the War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea (1950-1953) were returned to China from the Republic of Korea (ROK) on Wednesday. Read update: https:\/\/t.co\/AXY2YkGvkO<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/13Y4Q7PvD7<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 China Xinhua News (@XHNews) April 22, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n The previous repatriation missions from South Korea have been flown with the earlier Y-20A variant, with this being the first instance the newer Y-20B was used. This was also confirmed by the statement<\/a> from the Chinese Ministry of National Defense (MND), which said:<\/p>\n \u201cThis is the first time the Chinese People\u2019s Liberation Army Air Force has dispatched a Y-20B for the repatriation. [\u2026] The air force will also send four J-20 fighter jets to escort the Y-20B after it re-enters China\u2019s airspace.\u201d<\/p>\n The Y-20A has been part of multiple international deployments, with major ones being the delivery of Chinese-made FK-3 air-defense <\/a>missile<\/a>s<\/a> (export variant of the HQ-22) to Serbia in April 2022 and the participation in the massive Eagles of Civilization drills<\/a> with the Egyptian Air Force in May 2025.<\/p>\n A Y-20B military transport aircraft of the Chinese Air Force departed from an airport in central China on April 20 for the Republic of Korea (ROK) to repatriate the 13th batch of the remains of Chinese People\u2019s Volunteers\u2019 (CPV) soldiers fallen in the War to Resist U.S.\u2026 pic.twitter.com\/I2zuQ3ZqLX<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 CCTV+ (@CCTV_Plus) April 20, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n PLAAF Y-20As have been part of repatriation flights of deceased Chinese soldiers from South Korea annually since 2015. The most recent instances were in November 2024<\/a> and on Sep. 12, 2025<\/a>.<\/p>\n The latter, representing the repatriation of the 12th batch of the remains of CPV soldiers, was also the first time that the transport aircraft was escorted by four J-20 fighters when it entered Chinese airspace. As mentioned earlier, the MND provided again this year the fighter escort.<\/p>\n The Y-20B in question is tail number \u201820343\u2019. Images of Y-20Bs on China Defense Blog<\/a>, uploaded on Jun. 25, 2025, show this aircraft, along with two more, assessing they might be assigned to the 13th Transport Aviation Division, under the Central Theater Command (CTC).<\/p>\n 4\u670820\u65e513\u6642\u9803\u3001PLAAF Y-20B\u8f38\u9001\u6a5f\u304c\u4e2d\u56fd\u4e2d\u90e8\u306e\u67d0\u57fa\u5730\u3088\u308a\u97d3\u56fd\u306b\u5411\u3051\u3066\u96e2\u9678\u3057\u305f\u3002 Y-20B\u521d\u306e\u5bfe\u5916\u4efb\u52d9\u3068\u306a\u308b\u3002 https:\/\/t.co\/bvGCWTOFVM<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/ak1AchX4p4<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 \u304a\u7802\u7cd6wsnbn (@sugar_wsnbn) April 20, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Xinhua<\/em><\/a> reported: \u201cA Chinese Air Force Y-20B large transport aircraft carrying the remains of the fallen soldiers and 146 of their personal effects landed at Taoxian International Airport in Shenyang, capital of northeast China\u2019s Liaoning Province.\u201d The publication added that so far China has repatriated the remains of \u201c1,023 CPV martyrs\u201d in coordination with South Korea.<\/p>\n The remains of 12 Chinese People\u2019s Volunteers (CPV) martyrs who lost their lives during the War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea (1950-1953) were returned to China from the Republic of Korea (ROK) on Wednesday. A Chinese Air Force Y-20B large transport aircraft carrying\u2026 pic.twitter.com\/FdMA2Dt8hX<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 China Xinhua News (@XHNews) April 22, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n The Second World War<\/a>, and the subsequent Chinese Civil War and Korean Wars, continue today to influence China\u2019s strategic affairs, relations with Taiwan<\/a>, Japan and the U.S. This appears to be a major element in east and southeast Asian geopolitics<\/a> in general.<\/p>\n Tensions in northeast Asia are characterized by testy ties between both the Republic of Korea (South Korea) and the Democratic People\u2019s Republic of Korea (DPRK \u2013 North Korea), and Japan\u2019s acrimonious relations with China, Russia, the DPRK and with South Korea.<\/p>\n There is consensus among observers that China and South Korea have found some common ground over the events from the 1900s to the 1950s \u2013 despite being on opposite sides in the Korean War. The Y-20 flights to South Korea are a manifestation of this effort, although it remains to be seen how and whether they will dictate any shifts of the military dynamics in the region.<\/p>\n The Y-20 can be considered a Chinese-equivalent of the U.S.-made C-17 Globemaster III<\/a>. The new \u2018B\u2019 variant includes a number of improvements and an increase of indigenous Chinese systems compared to the earlier Y-20A<\/p>\n The Y-20B variant can be differentiated by its shorter and stubbier WS-20 turbofan engines. The Y-20A was powered by Russian D-30KP-2 and Chinese WS-18 engines, depending on the production batch, which can be recognized by their longer shape.<\/p>\n The GT<\/em> report about the Y-20B\u2019s flight to South Korea noted the WS-20\u2019s enhanced performance features. The report said the deployment \u201cdemonstrates that its new high-bypass-ratio domestically developed engine has undergone a period of testing and validation, and is now mature and reliable.\u201d<\/p>\n The Y-20 was developed as a Chinese replacement for the Russian Ilyushin Il-76. The airframe serves as the base for multiple specialized aircraft, including the PLAAF\u2019s newest and largest Airborne AEW&C, the KJ-3000<\/a>, based on the Y-20B.<\/p>\n The Y-20A also has a Multi-Role Tanker Transport (MRTT)-type version called the YY-20A\/YU-20A, with a three-point hose-and-drogue refueling system, notably used in the May 2025 drills with the EAF. A similar variant is also expected for the newer Y-20B.<\/p>\n Interesting, no. 20343 has lost the formation markings but gained the huge PRC-flag on the tail. pic.twitter.com\/n8pABP8kvo<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 @Rupprecht_A (@RupprechtDeino) April 14, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n The GT<\/em> report also quoted Chinese defense expert Wang Yunfei, who said the Y-20B\u2019s trip to South Korea means the aircraft has acquired \u201cits final design certification\u201d for \u201cproven stability.\u201d Wang further said: \u201cThe aircraft has earned full trust and [\u2026] it will be gradually fielded [for] longer-range and more complex strategic transport missions.\u201d<\/p>\n Describing the Y-20B, Xinhua <\/em>said the aircraft includes \u201cnew-generation domestically manufactured aero-engines [\u2026] extended range, increased payload capacity and higher flight speed, boasting robust long-range strategic airlift capabilities.\u201d The engines offer higher fuel efficiency and increased range with the \u201csame amount of fuel.\u201d<\/p>\n AFAIK for the first time photos from the Y-20 production line were leaked. pic.twitter.com\/aobZu7pupk<\/a><\/p>\n\n
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\n\u540c\u6a5f\u306f\u7b2c13\u6b21\u6297\u7f8e\u63f4\u671d\u70c8\u58eb\u907a\u4f53\u5e30\u56fd\u4efb\u52d9\u306b\u5c31\u304f\u3002\u5e30\u56fd\u4e88\u5b9a\u306f22\u65e5\u3002<\/p>\nDiplomatic background<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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<\/a>Y-20B airlifter<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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