China to have stealth attack helicopter by 2020

By chankaiyee2 on September 24, 2015 • ( 2 )

Z-10 Cinbat helicopter regarded as China’s Apache

The following is based on translations of reports in Chinese media:

The China Daily says in its report that China’s major helicopter producer AVIC disclosed that China would have a stealth attack helicopter by 2020.

The helicopter is regarded as China’s version of America’s Apache.

It is able to attack first without being detected by an enemy.

The information on the of the new-generation of helicopter was released in a media brochure distributed to domestic journalists taking part in the Third China Helicopter Expo.

AVIC gave few details about the helicopter, but China Daily quotes Lin Zuoming, AVIC’s chairman, as saying on the sidelines of the expo that the new helicopter will have stealth capability and will reshape the combat patterns of the PLA ground force.

The newspaper also quotes Wu Ximing, chief helicopter designer of the company, as saying that the new helicopter will also feature supreme manoeuvrability in complicated environments, outstanding survivability and joint operational ability.

The news has drawn keen attention among Chinese media.

People.com.cn, the website of Chinese Communist Party’s mouthpiece People’s Daily, says in its report that in CCTV’s interview with Chinese military expert Yin Zhuo on this topic, Yin said that China had the financial resources and technology reserve for the development of a homegrown stealth helicopter.

The report says that China must make great effort to reduce the vibration and noise of Chinese helicopters.

China Daily also says in its report that AVIC revealed that Chinese helicopter engineers were developing a bearingless main rotor, a cutting-edge technology key to a stealth helicopter.

CCTV says that the United States began development of its Boeing-Sikorsky RAH-66 Comanche stealth helicopter in the 1980s but after a heavy investment of US$7 billions had to cancel the project in 2014.

The China Daily continues that the US cancelled its stealth helicopter project due to lack of funds, and that China is the only country that has the financial resources for such expensive helicopters.

The report said that the helicopters, to be carried by China’s new frigates, destroyers and amphibious warships, will be able to counter the warplanes from a U.S. aircraft carrier.

Contributed by “Tiananmen’s Tremendous Achievements” – Author of “Tiananmen’s Tremendous Achievements” and “Space Era Strategy” – Also English/Chinese translation service