Z-20 helicopter confirmed in Chinese military service
China's domestically made utility helicopter, the Z-20, made its debut at the National Day parade on Tuesday, a move that confirmed its active service status within the Chinese military.
All equipment on display in the parade is domestically made and in service, Major General Cai Zhijun, deputy head of the office of the leading group for the military parade, said at a press conference in August.
This means that the Z-20 has already entered active service with the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) following a lengthy trial phase.
China's Ministry of National Defense confirmed the development of the Z-20 in December 2013 after the chopper's alleged first test flight was spotted in northeastern China. Many pictures of the Z-20 have surfaced on the internet and Chinese aerospace magazines since then.
The Z-20 is a medium-lift utility helicopter that can adapt to different terrains and weather, and is expected to be used by the army and navy, military experts told the Global Times previously, noting that it can also operate on plateau areas like in Southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, where high elevations could cause problems, including a lack of oxygen.
As a utility helicopter it can be used in many types of missions, including personnel and cargo transport, search and rescue, reconnaissance and anti-submarine, experts said, noting that no other Chinese helicopter is as versatile as the Z-20.
An image has emerged on Chinese social media platforms suggesting that a variant of the naval Harbin Z-20 helicopter may be under development for use by the People’s Liberation Army Navy Marine Corps (PLANMC).
The image emerged around 12 January and shows the aircraft in flight carrying anti-tank guided weapons (ATGWs). These appear to be KD-10 missiles, which are not known to have an anti-ship role. The YJ-9 is the anti-ship missile used by the Z-9 helicopter currently in naval service, which is an active radar guided weapon for use against small ships and fast attack craft.
General characteristics
Crew: 2 flight crew
Capacity: ~2,200 lb (1,000 kg) of cargo internally, including 12–15 troops, and ~8,800 lb (4,000 kg) of cargo externally
Length: 65 ft 7 in (20 m) (approx.)
Height: 17 ft 5 in (5.3 m) (approx.)
Empty weight: 11,023 lb (5,000 kg) (approx.)
Max takeoff weight: 22,046 lb (10,000 kg) (approx.)
Powerplant: 2 × WZ-10 turboshaft engines, 2,682 shp (2,000 kW) each (maximum)
Main rotor diameter: 52 ft 6 in (16 m)
Performance
Maximum speed: 190 kn (220 mph, 360 km/h)
Cruise speed: 160 kn (180 mph, 290 km/h)
Range: 300 nmi (350 mi, 560 km)
Service ceiling: 20,000 ft (6,000 m) (approx.)
Rate of climb: 1,400 ft/min (7.1 m/s)
Armament
Guns: provision for machine guns
