The CAIC Z-10/WZ-10 (Changhe Aircraft Industries Corporation / Wuzhuang Zhisheng) is a modern battlefield attack helicopter of the People's Republic of China Army (Chinese Army). It is intended to directly counter the threat as posed by enemy armor in a number of scenarios utilizing advanced technologies and guided munitions as well as indigenous armament types. The helicopter is produced by Changhe Aircraft Industries Corporation (CAIC) of China and, in March of 2013, it was revealed that the Chinese had considerable assistance from the Russian Kamov helicopter firm in developing the base Z-10 model. The Z-10 stands as the first indigenous Chinese attack helicopter design of note.
The Z-10 is a departure for the Chinese who, until this time, were relying heavily on modified (armed) transport types to shore up their anti-armor limitations. This spurred development of both an in-house attack helicopter solution (in keeping pace with other global powers) and an indigenous anti-armor missile system. Design work actually began as early as 1979 and modern conflicts only hurried the requirement along, particularly the armor-heavy clashes of the 1991 Persian Gulf War which showcased all manner of modern technology to soundly defeat a quantitative foe. 602nd Research Institute headed localized development of the new helicopter components utilizing complete 3D computer work.
The end product became the Z-10 with its two-man stepped cockpit arrangement similar to other modern types such as the Hughes AH-64 Apache of the American Army. The weapons officer sits in the frontal cockpit with the pilot in the rear with a commanding view of the battlefield ahead. Pilot controls are made redundant in case of incapacitation of one of the crew. Tracking and engagement systems are housed in a positional nose assembly as in the AH-64 and a chin-mounted turret houses the standard cannon armament. The fuselage is slim which promotes a very tight forward profile and fits a pair of turboshaft engines high in its configuration. The turboshaft engines power a five-bladed main rotor assembly fitted low on the fuselage top and a pair of two-bladed tail rotor units. The empennage is set low in the design with a conventional tail rotor offset to the starboard side. The tail rotor sits atop a tall vertical tail fin. At its base are a pair of horizontal stabilizers. Armament for the Z-10 is fitted along two short wingstubs as in the AH-64 with two hardpoints each. The undercarriage is fixed and consists of two single-wheeled main legs and a single-wheeled tail leg.
Avionics consists of a YH millimeter-wave fire-control radar and Blue Sky navigation/targeting suite (via pod). Both pilots are afforded helmet-mounted sight displays with integrated night vision optics. The Z-10 can also combat electronics through its YH-96 Electronic Warfare (EW) system. It can further degrade incoming tracking signals through its BM/KG300G jamming pod.
The US government went on to fine United Technologies Corporation (parent company to Pratt & Whitney Canada and Hamilton Sundstrand (provider of the full-authority digital control software)) $75 million USD for their roles in assisting a foreign party while under the strict US export rules. Regardless, the damage has been done and the Chinese retain a viable turboshaft solution for their new attack helicopter.
The Z-10 is primarily fitted with a 23mm autocannon in its turret which can be replaced by the optional 30mm fitting, 30mm/40mm automatic grenade launcher or a 14.5mm heavy-class Gatling minigun. Across the four available hardpoints can be fitted various air-launched munitions including the HJ-8 anti-tank wire-guided, HJ-9 anti-tank, HJ-10 anti-tank, TY-90 air-to-air, PL-5 short-range air-to-air, PL-7 air-to-air and PL-9 short-range air-to-air missiles. As with other attack helicopters of this class, the Z-10 is cleared to carry rocket pods and these arrive in 57mm or 90mm unguided forms.
All told, the Z-10 is believed to be in the same attack class as the Eurocopter Tiger and Denel Rooivalk systems of Europe and South African respectively. It recorded its first flight on April 29th, 2003 and entered service in December of 2010. Some 60 are believed to be in service or on order at this time (2013).
For years, the Chinese denied foreign assistance on their Z-10 design though it was disclosed in March of 2013 that the government approached Kamov for its support in design in 1995. The program was then known under the designation of "Project 941" during its development before the Chinese took the charge and ran with it to produce the finalized Z-10.
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December 2015 - Pakistan has received three Z-10 helicopters for trials and evaluation. It was reported that the nation planned to buy some seventeen of the type.
February 2022 - A model of the Z-10ME was on display at Singapore Air Show 2022.
(OPERATORS list includes past, present, and future operators when applicable)
GROUND ATTACK
Ability to conduct aerial bombing of ground targets by way of (but not limited to) guns, bombs, missiles, rockets, and the like.
CLOSE-AIR SUPPORT
Developed to operate in close proximity to active ground elements by way of a broad array of air-to-ground ordnance and munitions options.
Length
46.6 ft (14.20 m)
Width/Span
42.7 ft (13.00 m)
Height
12.6 ft (3.85 m)
Empty Wgt
12,214 lb (5,540 kg)
MTOW
15,432 lb (7,000 kg)
Wgt Diff
+3,219 lb (+1,460 kg)
(Showcased structural values pertain to the CAIC Z-10 production variant)
Installed:
2 x WZ-9 (Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6C-67C) turboshaft engine developing 1,350 shaft horsepower each while driving a five-blade main rotor and 2 x two-bladed twin tail rotors.
(Showcased performance specifications pertain to the CAIC Z-10 production variant. Performance specifications showcased above are subject to environmental factors as well as aircraft configuration. Estimates are made when Real Data not available. Compare this aircraft entry against any other in our database or View aircraft by powerplant type)
STANDARD:
1 x 23mm OR 30mm cannon in chin mounting OR 30mm/40mm automatic grenade launcher OR 14.7mm Gatling gun.
OPTIONAL:
Air-to-air / air-to-surface missiles, rocket pods and cannon pods as required. Includes CM-502KG air-to-surface missile and CM-501XA loitering munition.
Supported Types
(Not all ordnance types may be represented in the showcase above)
4 Hardpoints
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-
-
7
5
-
-
-
4
6
-
-
-
Hardpoints Key:
15
13
11
9
7
5
3
1
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
X
Color Key:
Centerline
Port Wingroot
Stbd Wingroot
Wing
Wingtip
Internal Bay
Not Used
Z-10 - Base Production Model Designation; prototypes.
WZ-10 - Alternative Designation.
Z-10H - Pre-production models; powered by 2 x Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6C-76 turboshaft engines.
Z-10K - Simplified production variant powered by WZ-9 engines; reduced mission systems and armor protection to reduce operating weight.
Z-10M - Three examples constructed for Pakistani review; powered by WZ-9C turboshaft engines.
Z-10ME - Upgraded model of 2018 intended for export; RWR equipped; revised, upward-facing engine exhaust with redesigned intakes; revised armor scheme; uprated turboshaft engines.
Z-10 MMWR - MilliMeter Wave Radar-equipped.
General Assessment
Firepower
Performance
Survivability
Versatility
Impact
Values are derrived from a variety of categories related to the design, overall function, and historical influence of this aircraft in aviation history.
Overall Rating
The overall rating takes into account over 60 individual factors related to this aircraft entry.
74
Rating is out of a possible 100 points.
Relative Maximum Speed
Hi: 200mph
Lo: 100mph
This entry's maximum listed speed (186mph).
Graph average of 150 miles-per-hour.
City-to-City Ranges
NYC
LON
LON
PAR
PAR
BER
BER
MOS
MOS
TOK
TOK
SYD
SYD
LAX
LAX
NYC
Operational range when compared to distances between major cities (in KM).
Max Altitude Visualization
Design Balance
The three qualities reflected above are altitude, speed, and range.
Aviation Era Span
Showcasing era cross-over of this aircraft design.
Unit Production (305)
305
36183
44000
Compared against Ilyushin IL-2 (military) and Cessna 172 (civilian).
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Images Gallery
1 / 5
Image from the Chinese Ministry of Defense.
2 / 5
Image from the Chinese Ministry of Defense.
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China; Pakistan
