China’s first heavyweight assault helicopter the Z-20T, which was developed to enhance the Z-10, has been featured in flight demonstrations on the seventh China Helicopter Exposition in Tianjin. The brand new plane made its first public look throughout a army parade on September 3, and combines an airlift functionality with built-in firepower in a single airframe. The manoeuvres carried out included together with hovering turns and O-shaped landings, which highlighted the plane’s applicability in quite a few real-world fight operations. Elaborating on the Z-20T’s function, deputy chief designer on the China Helicopter Analysis and Improvement Institute Zhu Minfeng mentioned it was designed to “assault transport and airlift operations in mountainous, forested, and concrete areas,” and was in a position to “strike high-value enemy targets, counter each floor and aerial threats in plain and plateau areas, and supply hearth assist for floor forces.”
Previous the Z-20’s improvement solely Russia and the US had produced equally heavyweight assault helicopters, the previous with the Mi-24, Mi-28, Mi-35, Ka-50 and Ka-52, and the latter with the AH-64 Apache. Fairly than a clear sheet design, nonetheless, the brand new Chinese language was developed as a variant of the Z-20 medium-lift utility helicopter which had first been introduced into service in 2019. The Z-20T is way much less closely armoured and properly optimised to fight roles than its American and Russian counterparts, though its utility is critical larger. As noticed by Zhu, who in contrast the Z-20T with the lighter Z-10: “If the mission solely includes assault duties, the Z-10 assault helicopter is the optimum alternative… If there’s a have to conduct airlift operations and troop transport along with assault duties, the Z-20T, which mixes transport capability with air-to Com-ground capabilities, may be employed.”
Elaborating on some great benefits of the Z-20T’s design over these of different assault helicopter, Zhu emphasised that its capability to conduct each personnel transport and direct hearth missions with out relying separate escort helicopters gave it a significant edge. “The Z-20T assault helicopter achieves ‘multi-functionality with one plane,’ which means that it will probably each transport troops and independently conduct hearth strikes to make sure the security of your entire flight course of,” he noticed. This mirrors the function of the Russian Mi-35, which was developed by modifying the Soviet Mi-24 assault helicopter design to permit it to be configured with a restricted troop transport functionality. Utilizing a design that was developed as an assault helicopter from the outset, nonetheless, the Mi-35’s personnel and cargo carrying capacities are considerably decrease than that of the Z-20, though its armour safety and firepower are estimated to be superior.
