China was unable to purchase more Sikorsky aircraft following the fallout from the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests that resulted in an EU and US arms embargo. This led to the development of an indigenous so-called "10-tonne helicopter project" that started in 2006, and the Z-20 made its first flight on 23 December 2013.[4]
Helicopter production in China received a massive boost after the 2008 Sichuan earthquakes highlighted the value of helicopters in humanitarian missions.[8] In addition to the PLAAF, the Z-20 will likely be used by other services in the People's Liberation Army.[9] It could fill the role of a multi-role naval helicopter for the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) that is small enough to be interoperable across all PLAN vessels while still have a full suite of anti-submarine warfare (ASW) capabilities installed.[4][10]
The Z-20 has been tested carrying missiles on wing pylons.[11] A stealth Z-20 variant has been indicated under development since 2015.[12] One analyst said China could produce the stealth variant relatively easily because of their access to a modified MH-60 Black Hawktail section, recovered by Pakistani security forces after a crash during the Bin Laden raid.[13]
Design
[edit]Z-20 ground display at Airshow China 2022Z-20 Helicopter
The Z-20 is based on the 1970s S-70/UH-60 Black Hawk,[3] which China acquired in the 1980s.[4]Pakistan may also have allowed China to examine wreckage from the US special forces Black Hawk abandoned during the assassination of Osama bin Laden on 1 May 2011.[14][15]
The helicopter uses fly-by-wire controls and a five-bladed main rotor; the Black Hawk has four blades. The tail-to-fuselage joint frame is more angular than the Black Hawk's, for greater lift, cabin capacity, and endurance. The fairings behind the engine exhausts and on the spine are likely for satellite communications or the BeiDou satellite navigation system.[16]
The Z-20 is believed to be powered by the domestic WZ-10 turboshaft engine providing 1,700-2,000 shp of power, comparable to the latest iteration of the Black Hawk engine, the GE T700-701D.[17][18] The Z-20 also incorporates new technologies that reduce weight and improve lift as well as cutting edge de-icing tech on the rotor-blades. These features enable it to conduct operations at altitudes above 4,000 m (13,200 ft).[4]
Armed assault variant featuring hardpoints for AKD-9/AKD-10 missiles and targeting sensors, used by PLA Army.[19]
Z-20S
Search and rescue (SAR) used by PLA Army. Equipped with FLIR, a searchlight under the fuselage, a hoist above the cabin door, a crash position indicator (CPI) underneath the tail boom, new ECM antennas above the LWR, and essential medical equipment inside the cabin.
^ abFor Strategic Studies (Iiss), The International Institute (12 February 2024). The Military Balance 2024. London: Routledge (For The International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS)). ISBN978-1-03-278004-7.