Chinese WZ-10 attack helicopter

Regisvo

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Z-10 Attack Helicopter

Information


Last updated: 2 October 2007


The Z-10 (Zhisheng-10, or Zhi-10) attack helicopter is being developed by Changhe Aircraft Industries Group (CAIG) and China Helicopter Research and Development Institute (CHRDI), both based in Jingdezhen, Jiangxi Province. The primary mission for the helicopter is anti-armour and battlefield interdiction, with a secondary capability for air-to-air combat. The Z-10 is thought to be in the same class as the Agusta A-129, South African Rooivalk, and German Tiger attack helicopter.

A total of 6~8 prototypes have reportedly been built since 2003. The maiden flight of the helicopter took place on 29 April 2003. These helicopters are currently undergoing intensive flight testing before the design can be finalised and production approved. The helicopter is expected to enter PLA service in 2008/09.

Development of a dedicated attack helicopter began in the mid-1990s at Changhe and CHRDI. Another Chinese helicopter manufacturer, Harbin Aircraft Manufacturing Company (HAMC), may have also involved in the design of the helicopter. Chenghe’s parent company, AVIC II, has been working with European partners on the common helicopter dynamic system, which can be used on both the proposed medium helicopter and the attack helicopter. However, China has not sought outside help with the attack helicopter’s mission system, possibly due to security reasons.

Internet source photos revealed that the Z-10 attack helicopter has a conventional attack helicopter layout, with the pilot and weapons operator seated in tandem, stepped cockpits. The helicopter has a five-blade main rotor and a four-blade tail rotor. Two engines are podded to the helicopter just to the rear of the cockpit. The fuselage has a sloped side to reduce its radar cross section (RCS), and is slender and tapered to the rear, with fixed landing gear. The tail boom tapers to the rear, with a high, swept-back fin with square tip. The flats are unequally tapered with a square tip, while the belly fin has the rear landing wheel attached. The tail rotor is mounted on the right side.

The helicopter may be fitted with a ‘fly-by-wire‘ (FBW) control system, and a modern glass cockpit with multifunctional display (MFD) screens. The helicopter crew may also be equipped with a helmet-mounted sight (HMS) for head-up display of information and weapon control. A sensor suite is located in the nose of the helicopter, possibly consisting of television and forward looking infrared (FLIR) sensors. The helicopter’s electronic warfare suite consists of radar warning receiver (RWR), laser warning receiver, infrared jammer and chaff and flare decoy dispensers.

Fixed weapon onboard the Z-10 includes a cannon installed in the chin of the helicopter. Two stub wings provide four stores stations for external ordinance. China is currently developing a new HJ-10 anti-tank guided missile (ATGM), which was said to be comparable to the U.S. AGM-114 Hellfire. In addition, the helicopter could also carry TY-90 air-to-air missiles and unguided rocket launcher pods.

The Z-10 helicopter is powered by two Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6C-67C turboshaft engines with Full Authority Digital Engine Control (FADEC). The engines have a maximum continuous power of 1,531hp (1,142kw) each.

http://www.sinodefence.com/airforce/helicopter/z10.asp
 
So I guess they copied something else.... They did so with the MiG Fighter, AK Series Rifle, and just about everything else.
 
Looks like the one made by South Africans

http://www.army-technology.com/projects/rooivalk/


which looks like the mangusta, which looks like the eurocopter tiger

800px-Mangusta.JPG

Mangusta

Eurocopter_Tiger_p1230203.jpg

eurocopter tiger

800px-Denel_Rooivalk_flying_2006.jpg

Rooivalk

So I guess they copied something else.... They did so with the MiG Fighter, AK Series Rifle, and just about everything else.



more like parallel design, as i said above....all those attack helo's are designed to do the same job, in the same parameters....no wonder they look alike
 
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Of course it's going to essentially be a copy. Just about every attack helicopter is a copy at some level or another. The principals are pretty universal: Narrow front profile to present a small target for ground troops to fire on, highly versatile interchangeable weapons systems, top of the line FCS, and fast and agile speed and performance and reasonably good armor.

Just about every current attack helicopter design is a direct descendant of two helicopters developed by the USA during the Vietnam War: the AH-56 Cheyenne and the AH-1G Cobras (the latter be the more successful design.) The earliest development of the use of helicopters for air to ground assault platforms can probably be credited to the French. The perfecting of the modern attack helicopter design, look and feel can largely be credited to the USA.

The Cobra was so successful that the Vietcong put out a hit on all Cobra pilots, with a substantial reward to anyone who killed them.

Anyways, to say that the Chinese have copied someone else makes them just as guilty as just about everyone else. My real question is the same as it usually is with Chinese military hardware: Can China produce this thing from start to finish without any outside help?
 
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Who cares if it's a copy? If it does it's job it's still dangerous. No need to reinvent the wheel.
All I gotta say is that the Chinese, if they can get their act together, will be a tougher foe than the Soviet Union ever dreamed of being. Chinese conventional forces are modernizing at a frightening rate.
If that thing is a direct or close enough copy of the Eurocopter Tiger, I'd be worried.
 
"the_13th_redneck", I don't understand why you are worrying about China's development. China is a peace-loving nation at most time, by reason of Chinese traditional ideology is peace-loving.

Still worry about RED China? The color of red means HAPPY and FESTIVE in the Chinses tradition. Do you dislike a happy and festive nation - red China?

:jump:
 
Wonder how the European designers are feeling now.
Regsivo, thanks for actually saying that, I think that to many people here are looking at China like a spring under pressure, ready to pop of on regional conquest. Yet, a large sum of some of their nations goods are imported from China.
 
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"the_13th_redneck", I don't understand why you are worrying about China's development. China is a peace-loving nation at most time, by reason of Chinese traditional ideology is peace-loving.

Still worry about RED China? The color of red means HAPPY and FESTIVE in the Chinses tradition. Do you dislike a happy and festive nation - red China?

:jump:

It's not only him who is worried about Communist government of China. Many of us in the west are concerned with the Chinese government
 
It's not only him who is worried about Communist government of China. Many of us in the west are concerned with the Chinese government

This is true. There is an underlying feeeling that the Chinese government cannot be trusted and that something big will happen.
 
"the_13th_redneck", I don't understand why you are worrying about China's development. China is a peace-loving nation at most time, by reason of Chinese traditional ideology is peace-loving.

Still worry about RED China? The color of red means HAPPY and FESTIVE in the Chinses tradition. Do you dislike a happy and festive nation - red China?

:jump:

Regisvo, far too many people here remember the mad excesses of the Red Guard to just suddenly think that China is a happy peace loving country. I think many Chinese citizens also remember this period of recent history with fear and loathing. also the Communist party's use of the PLA in Red Square against their own citizens. These things make the west very cautious about trusting the Chinese Government.
 
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