News Story: WZ-10 attack helicopter now deployed in all PLA aviation units

The People's Liberation Army has equipped all of its ground force aviation units with advanced WZ-10 combat helicopters, according to PLA media. Several WZ-10s have been delivered to an aviation brigade of the PLA 13th Group Army under the Western Theater Command, the military's TV news channel reported.

This means that all of the Army's aviation units now have this advanced attack helicopter, the report said.

The deliveries also marked the 30th anniversary of the establishment of the Army's aviation force and opened a new chapter in the force's development, it added.

The Army's aviation wing was formed in October 1986 with a regiment equipped with a combination of domestically manufactured helicopters with old technologies and a few imported advanced ones.

Read the full story at Air Recognition

Editorial: China to Retire Its Armored Tank Destroyers

By Franz-Stefan Gady

The Chinese military is replacing its tank destroyers with anti-tank missiles and attack helicopters.

The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) will retire its armada of Type 89 (aka PTZ89) tank destroyers, Asia One reports based on information published in the PLA Daily, the official newspaper of the PLA.

The PLA Daily published a picture of 18 self-propelled guns that look like Type 89 tank destroyers departing a military base of the PLA Shenyang Military Command’s 39th Group Army.

The newspaper said that an official retirement ceremony for the obsolete armored vehicles was held on November 3.

The Type 89 tank destroyer entered the PLA’s service in 1989. From 1989 to 1995 around 100 vehicles were produced. The tank destroyer’s main armament is a 120-mm/L50 smoothbore gun, equipped with a semi-automatic gun loader. Since the gun is not stabilized, the armored vehicle cannot fire accurately on the move.

“With its good mobility and a high automation level, the Type 89 tank destroyer can easily pierce the armor of enemy tanks using a 120-mm smoothbore gun,” according to Senior Colonel Wang Kai, a land armaments expert at the PLA Academy of Armored Forces Engineering in Beijing. However, the gun has a relatively short range, one of the Type 89’s many shortcomings.

Read the full story at The Diplomat

News Story: China developing new attack helicopter with stealth power

Chinese WZ-19 Attack Helicopter

China has begun to develop a fourth-generation attack helicopter which will have stealth capabilities and expects to deliver it to the People's Liberation Army by around 2020, according to a report by the English-language China Daily.

Aviation Industry Corp of China, an aircraft manufacturer and supplier to the PLA, has been given the responsibility of researching and developing the helicopter, Cankaoxiaoxi.com website reported Sunday, citing Deutsche Welle, Germany's international broadcaster.

The company disclosed the information in a media brochure distributed to domestic journalists taking part in the Third China Helicopter Expo, which opened on Wednesday in Tianjin, according to the China Daily report published Friday.

The company gave no further details but according to the report, it was the first time that China has confirmed it is developing a new-generation combat helicopter.

Read the full story at Want China Times

News Story: China trying to outperform Russia on weapons exports

Chinese Z-10 Attack Helicopter (File Photo)

Recently a photograph of three Chinese-made CAIC Z-10 attack helicopters delivered to Pakistan has been circulating online, according to Sina's military news website.

This has led to comparisons between Chinese and Russian weapons systems online. In certain traditional fields, the Russian defense industry has a clear advantage, according to the website. Its Soviet legacy and its efforts in research and development put Russia at the forefront of the international weapons market, the article said. According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute ranking, Russia is the second biggest weapons exporter, as it exports weapons to 56 countries. Its weapon exports to India, China and Algeria make up 60% of the country's total weapon exports.

China is a relative newcomer to the global weapons market, but it is now the third biggest defense exporter. The weapons it exports include the CAC/PAC JF-17 Thunder fighter, the PLZ-45 155 mm self-propelled howitzer and the C series of anti-ship missiles. The reason for the rapid growth in its weapons exports is China's rapid economic rise, which has fueled the modernization of the armed forces, according to the website. This has allowed certain Chinese weapon systems to be able to compete with Russian weapons in the international market.

Read the full story at Want China Times

News Story: Pakistan Boosts Defense Budget

By Usman Ansari

ISLAMABAD — Pakistan has once again increased its defense spending as revealed in the fiscal year 2015-16 budget revealed Friday. The double-digit increase is in line with successive increases in recent years, but analysts predict the increase will once again be absorbed by operational demands. A resumption of wider state-funded defense modernization efforts is therefore uncertain given the still uncertain state of the economy.

Reports previous to the unveiling of the budget indicated the fiscal year 2015-16 defense budget allocation stood at 772 billion Pakistani rupees (US $7.6 billion).

However, the figures unveiled Friday showed 781 billion rupees (nearly US $7.7 billion) for "'Defence Affairs and Services," an approximately 11 percent increase over the previous year's budget, according to the Associated Press.

Regardless, much of any increase will be to finance the ongoing operation against the Pakistani Taliban (TTP), Operation Zarb-e-Azab.

A breakdown of allocations to the various services is presently unavailable.

Read the full story at DefenseNews

News Story: Weapons sent to Hainan for potential S China Sea conflict

Chinese J-10 Fighter Aircraft (File Photo)

After several confrontations with US warships and aircraft in the South China Sea, the People's Liberation Army decided to demonstrate several of its most advanced weapon systems to the people living on Hainan island, which is located close to China, but still in the South China Sea, reported state-run Xinhua News Agency on May 28.

The weapons demonstrated at Haikou's Xiuying port included the J-10 fighter, WZ-10 gunship, Type 63A amphibious light tank, anti-tank missile vehicle and armoured command vehicle. Because Hainan is very likely to become the primary PLA base for operations if China enters a conflict in the South China Sea, Beijing wants to prepare the civilians of the island for military conflict through exhibiting those weapon systems, according to the Xinhua.

Read the full story at Want China Times

News Story: US, China, Russia competing over helicopter sales to Pakistan

AH-1Z Viper Attack Helicopter (File Photo)

Chuang Shu-chung and Staff Reporter

The US is trying to outdo Russia and China in arms sales to Pakistan, according to our Chinese-language sister paper Want Daily.

News that Pakistan bought two attack helicopters, a Chinese Z-10 and a Russian Mi-35, apparently left the US, which had previously been the major weapons supplier to the country, feeling left out. The US Department of State subsequently announced an offer to sell Pakistan 15 AH-1Z Super Cobra attack helicopters, reportedly to "support Pakistan's ability to counter terrorism."

Pakistan is replacing its outdated AH-1S/F Cobra attack helicopters for missions in Waziristan to tackle Taliban militias in the region.

Read the full story at Want China Times

News Story: Z-10 takes first flight in Pakistan

China's first Changhe Aircraft Industries Corporation Z-10 helicopter shipped to Pakistan completed its first test in Rawalpindi, a city located in the province of Punjab, according to internet users as cited in overseas Chinese-language news outlet Duowei News.

Earlier reports surmised that Pakistan was choosing its next-generation attack helicopters from either China's Z-10 or Turkey's A-129 to replace its obsolete AH-1S Cobras purchased from the United States back in 80s. Meanwhile, rumors from the Russian embassy suggested that Pakistan had placed an order for Mi-35 heavy assault gunship helicopters from Moscow. The Mi-35 may be used to test the Z-10's performance in a real combat environment, although the Russian reports remain unconfirmed.

Read the full story at Want China Times

News Story: China's 'gift' of 3 Z-10 helicopters to Pakistan raises suspicion

China's alleged decision to present Pakistan three Z-10 attack helicopters as a "gift" this year has raised suspicions of ulterior motives, says Duowei News, a US-based Chinese political news outlet.

Citing unconfirmed Russian media reports, Duowei claims that although Pakistan had shown an interest purchasing the Z-10s, which are designed by Russia's Kamov Design Bureau under contract from Beijing, China decided to give the helicopters to its "closest friend" for free.

The Z-10s, designed primarily for anti-tank missions with secondary air-to-air capabilities, will reportedly be added to the Pakistan Army aviation fleet and be deployed in the ongoing fight against terrorism in the country. The helicopter is said to be capable of targeting the enemy in the air or on the ground with a range of 3-4 kilometers without appearing on radars.

Read the full story at Want China Times

News Story: Pakistan Wins Approval To Purchase Mi-35 Helo

Mil Mi-35M (Image: Wiki Commons)

By USMAN ANSARI 

ISLAMABAD — Pakistan’s attempts to acquire new helicopter gunships appear to be nearing success with news that a deal for Mi-35 Hind helicopters has been approved.

Speaking to Radio Pakistan on Wednesday, Russia’s ambassador to Pakistan, Alexy Dedov, said the deal had been approved but political and commercial negotiations continued.

Pakistan has sought new helicopter gunships for the best part of a decade to replace AH-1F Cobras, which have been fast wearing out due to the pace of operations against the Pakistani Taliban (TTP) and its allies in and around the Tribal Areas bordering Afghanistan.

Read the full story at DefenseNews

News Story: SCO members conduct massive live fire drill in Inner Mongolia

Five Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) member states carried out a massive live fire drill on Friday in north China's Inner Mongolia.

More than 7,000 troops from China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan took part in the anti-terror drill, involving ground, air, special operations and airborne troops using support from electronic countermeasures, reconnaissance, mapping and positioning units.

Chief of the General Staff of the People's Liberation Army Fang Fenghui, along with his counterparts from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, and Tajikistan, watched the exercise, which started at 10am at the Zhurihe training base.

Viewers also included representatives from SCO observer states Pakistan and Mongolia, and the dialogue partner Sri Lanka, as well as delegations of foreign military attaches from 40 countries.

Read the full story at Want China Times

Editorial: China Hosts SCO’s Largest-Ever Military Drills

By Shannon Tiezzi

The anti-terrorism drills involved troops from China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan.

7,000 troops from five countries are in China this week as part of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization’s (SCO) “Peace Mission 2014” military drills. The Shanghai Cooperation Organization is a regional multilateral body consisting of China, Russia, and the Central Asian states of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. This year’s military drill included troops from China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan in what Chinese media called the largest SCO drill yet.

China is hosting Peace Mission 2014, which opened August 24 and will conclude on the 29, in Inner Mongolia.Xinhua underscored that the drill was unprecedented, both in terms of scale and in terms of the weaponry being used. The drill involved multiple branches of the various militaries, including ground and air forces as well as units devoted to special ops, electronic countermeasures, and reconnaissance. The list of hardware was even more extensive: drones, early-warning aircraft, air-defense missiles, tanks, and armored vehicles. There were Su-25 jets and MI-8AMTSh armed assault helicopters from Russia, and China sent some of its “most advanced military hardware” as well, including the armed WZ-10 and WZ-19 helicopters. With the extensive array of technology and troops, Xinhua described the drills as “close to real combat.”

The drill was designed to counter what China calls the “three evil forces”: terrorism, separatism, and extremism. As China has grown increasingly concerned about these “evil forces,” particularly in Xinjiang, it has highlighted these issues in multilateral forums as well as in its own domestic policies. The SCO, as its name implies, is China’s pet project, and thus a perfect place for Beijing to shift the agenda to emphasize its core concerns. 

Read the full story at The Diplomat

News Story: Drone fires missiles at Inner Mongolia SCO anti-terror drill

China's military drones participated in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) anti-terror drills in Inner Mongolia for the first time on Tuesday.

Participating in the live fire drills, one drone, which was not identified by its model number, shot off several missiles during the rehearsal, said Shen Jinke, spokesperson of the People's Liberation Army Air Force.

"Drones, tasked with surveillance, reconnaissance and ground attacks, will play a vital role in fighting against terrorism," he said.

The aerial vehicle has yet to miss a shot since joining Peace Mission 2014, a multinational drill which began on Aug. 24, said Feng Aiwang, commander of the air force battle group.

Read the full story at Want China Times

News Story: China's WZ-10, WZ-19 armed helicopters join in anti-terror drill

Z-19/WZ-19 Attack Helicopter

China's WZ-10 and WZ-19 armed helicopters took part in a multinational anti-terror drill in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region on Sunday.

The WZ-10 — "the fiery thunderbolt" —is China's first generation of home grown armed helicopters for special purpose while the WZ-19 — "the black whirlwind" — is an upgraded version of the WZ-9.

The two are tasked with reconnaissance and rocket barrages during "Peace Mission 2014" anti-terror drill from Sunday to next Friday.

Read the full story at Want China Times

News Story: The Helicopter China Cannot Get Enough Of

Mi-171 (Wiki Info - Image: Wiki Commons)

August 9, 2014: The Russian Helicopter Corporation delivered to China the last of 52 Mi-171E helicopters ordered since 2012. This model can carry up to 37 passengers or four tons of cargo and has engines that are particularly effective under "hot and high" conditions. This is useful for the Chinese, who need equipment that can operate in Tibet (where many areas are at altitudes of over 4,000 meters). China is quite fond of the Mi-17 and the older Mi-8 it is derived from. Currently China operates 160 Mi-171 helicopters.

In 2008 China signed deals that allows it to legally manufacture the Mi-171, but it is still buying them from Russia because it takes time to set up manufacturing facilities and China needs more military transport helicopters right now and can afford to pay. Currently China has about 300 Mi-17/Mi-8 type helicopters and over 500 locally made helicopters. Most (Z9/Z-19) of these local builds are based on the Eurocopter AS 365 Dauphin while another hundred locally built Z-10 gunships were based on a Russian design. China has shown a preference for the Mi-8/17 design and would like to build a thousand or more Mi-171s locally under license.

In 2010 Chinese and Russian helicopter manufacturers established a joint venture to perform maintenance and refurbishment on helicopters, especially those of Russian design. This is part of a larger plan, which also includes the factory in China building Mi-171s.

Read the full story at StrategyPage

News Story: Chinese Army Z-10 Attack Helicopter conducts trials at sea with Navy Type 072A Landing Ship

The Chinese Army (PLA) released some interesting pictures showing a Z-10 attack helicopter conducting deck trials at sea with a Chinese Navy (PLAN) Type 072A-class landing ship (NATO designation Yuting-III-class). The helicopter reportedly belongs to the 5th helicopter brigade of the 1st Army of the Nanjing Military Region while the vessel is from the East Sea Fleet of the PLA Navy (hull number 913 "Baxian Shan").

The goal of these trials is probably to qualify the Z-10 attack helicopter onboard Type 072A landing ships so that it may provide close air support to a landing party launchd from the same vessel. It remains to be seen if PLA and PLA Navy will also qualify this helicopter type onboard the much larger Type 071 (Yuzhao-class) amphibious transport dock.

Read the full story at NavyRecognition

News Story: Pakistan Eyes Possible Defense Budget Increase

By USMAN ANSARI

ISLAMABAD — Pakistan is examining a possible defense budget increase in light of a changing security and financial situation, but though new equipment is needed rising operational costs could soak up any increase, say analysts.

The Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) reported Finance Minister Ishaq Dar discussed the possibility of assisting the military’s development program with Chief of Army Staff Gen. Raheel Sharif during a meeting over the weekend.

Just how much more money the armed forces can expect is uncertain despite some improvements in the economy. Sakib Sherani, an economic commentator and CEO of Islamabad-based economic consultancy firm, Macro Economic Insights, says the increase would not be much.

Read the full story at DefenseNews

News Story: China pushes ahead with military helicopter programmes

By: GREG WALDRON

Recent images from the Chinese internet suggest that Beijing is making significant progress with its military helicopter programmes.

The most recent batch of images show a Harbin Z-19 with what appears to be a mast-mounted radar system. The Z-19, which is roughly comparable to lighter attack helicopters such as the Airbus Helicopters Tiger, is capable of carrying anti-tank missiles and is usually equipped with a chin-mounted cannon.

It is unclear if the mast-mounted system is, indeed, a true radar, or merely a mock-up to test the aerodynamics of the system. Mast-mounted radars such as that carried by the Boeing AH-64E Apache Longbow greatly enhance an attack helicopter’s ability to identify and engage targets at long ranges.

Read the full story at FlightGlobal

News Story: WZ-10 Is A Starting Point, China Will Develop Heavy-Duty Armed Helicopter

PLA's WZ-10 Attack Helicopter (File Photo)

The development of Chinese armed helicopters as represented by the WZ-10 and WZ-19 continues to draw international attention. Du Wenlong, a military expert, responded to media questions by saying that WZ-10 was only a starting point and that China would go on to develop heavy-duty armed helicopters. 

When asked where the development of Chinese armed helicopters stands currently, Du Wenlong said that China's WZ-10 and WZ-19 should be seen as a revolution in Chinese armed helicopters for special purposes. Although we have had armed helicopters in the past, they were for general service. For example, the WZ-9 could serve as a transport and an attack helicopter, and also as a platform for other air missions. However, since the WZ-9 was based on upgrading a general armed helicopter, it could not meet special demands in such areas as attack, protection and electronics.

Read the full story at Defense-Unmanned

News Story: Chinese helo successfully launches air-to-air missiles

BEIJING (PTI): The Chinese military on Monday said the first ingenuously developed military attack helicopter WZ-10 has launched its first air-to-air missile successfully, intercepting low-altitude targets.

The WZ-10, meaning "armed helicopter", carried out the launch during a live-fire drill involving army aviation troops of the People's Liberation Army in the eastern waters off south China's Guangdong Province last week, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.

Read the full story at Brahmand