From what i understand the PLA is short of all types of airlift capabilities as theres a lack of helicopters and aeroplanes!

Originally Posted by skywalker

From what i understand the PLA is short of all types of airlift capabilities as theres a lack of helicopters and aeroplanes!

But I really doubt about how usefull the heli's can be in real batter transport. I don't think the heli's are used seriously to transport people or weapons.

But if you really think heli's should be used for transporting soldiers, no problem, China produces Z-9 etc, and it is cheap, PLA can simply build 1,000 Z-9 it costs less than 1 billion USD.

Z-9:



As for real serious troops transportation, there are the Airbone Troops for.

http://www.sinodefence.com/airforce/.../transport.asp

Yeah but you lack the heavy lift helicopter such as the CH-47 and Mi-26 that would enable you to rapidly re-deploy artillery etc. thats what i mean about your lack of helicopter airlift capability!

Originally Posted by skywalker

Yeah but you lack the heavy lift helicopter such as the CH-47 and Mi-26 that would enable you to rapidly re-deploy artillery etc. thats what i mean about your lack of helicopter airlift capability!

That's very true, China does not have heavy transport heli's.

It all depends on what the army is meant for, and for what kind of wars.

PLA at this moment is mainly a Continental Land Force, it does not need those big toys in a land war. If PLA really need to engage in a land war, it can do it kilometer by kilometer.

Also, those Ameican Chinooks are good in small scale wars against tiny enemies, if they are used against a large formal troop like PLA, the Chinooks have not single chance to survive in battle they will be simply shot down by PLA's numeurous AAM's.

We don't believe in the capability of Chinook or Mi's in real battle at all.

That does suprise me as im sure if there was a large scale conflict there could be a need for large helicopters as it would enable rapid troop deployment and movement as well as urgent supplies that could help in a battle, in large single battles i can see why theyre wouldnt be a need with the AAMs but away from the battlefield and in smaller battles they could be useful!

The heavy cargo helicopters are usefull in some cases, but its contribution to the battle is very limited if the battle is a big one.

Mi-26 helicopter is the heaviest helicopter in the world with a payload of about 20 tons, but yet it cannot transport a tank. Mi-26 is simply a means for transporting some reinforcement weapons or soldiers INTO the batterfield, but in the case of PLA attacking on land, PLA does not need this small amount of reinforcement at all, all the work can be done step by step, no need to jump from A to B across a distance say 100 kilometer, and we know that amount of forces supplied by the helicopters is simply TOO limited if not say meaningless.

And in very small engagement, there is no need of a heavy Mi-26, a couple of Z-9 can already do the job.

Mi-26 may make an army look very strong, but in practice, its role is very limited.

Apache or Chinook all look great, but when facing PLA, no use.

With the number of men in the PLA i guess you dont need the helicopters, im thinking more in terms of a small army such as the british army which needs the helicopters to retain the mobility it needs!

Originally Posted by FlyingFrog

Hello Skywalker,

But the issue is that China and Russia will not engage in war anymore. China and Russia are building up a very good cooperation relationship now.

Yup! Russia made all kinds of pacts like with Napoleon, and with Hitler, now with China.... I wonder.................... And then in the right time and moment they will join the opposite side..............

im not russian so i couldnt tell you like russians think but even with the russian economy not being very strong i doubt they would invade and i doubt china would invade!

Originally Posted by Uncle_Sam

Yup! Russia made all kinds of pacts like with Napoleon, and with Hitler, now with China.... I wonder.................... And then in the right time and moment they will join the opposite side..............

Yes, i think so... you can't really trust them, can you?