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Jane's Defence Weekly
AVIC breaks from Eurocopter to re-engine Z-15 helo
Robert Hewson Jane's Air-Launched Weapons Editor
Singapore
China's AVIC Helicopter Co (Avicopter) is breaking away from Eurocopter, its
partner in the joint EC 175/Z-15 medium helicopter programme, following a
decision to re-engine the Chinese Z-15 variant with an indigenous
powerplant.
Avicopter will redesign the Z-15 around a new and as-yet-undefined
turboshaft, to be developed in co-operation with France's Turbomeca.
Eurocopter will continue to develop and build its EC 175 variant with the
previously planned Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6C-67B.
Jane's has also learned that China has successfully re-engined its Changhe
Z-10 attack helicopter with an indigenous powerplant, believed to be
designated WZ-9, and has flown the aircraft in this configuration. A few
prototype Z-10s were initially built with PT6Cs, prompting serious questions
about how Western engines supplied for a notionally commercial development
programme were powering a purely military aircraft.
The furore over the use of PT6s by the Z-10 is likely to have been a factor
in China's decision to seek an alternative engine for the Z-15, with
Avicopter perhaps concerned about continuity of supply for what is a
strategically significant helicopter programme.
At a Singapore Air Show briefing earlier this month, Eurocopter President
and Chief Executive Dr Lutz Bertling confirmed the Z-15 redesign. Bertling
noted that the EC 175/Z-15 project had hit every predicted programme
milestone over the five years since it was launched and that the second EC
175 airframe was delivered to France in December. All major structural
components for the EC 175 and Z-15 are built in Harbin by Haifei Aviation
Industry Co.
Confirming the decision to drop Pratt & Whitney Canada from the Z-15,
Bertling said: "Our Chinese partners have decided to go with a separate
engine: a future non-existent design from Turbomeca." He added that this
would delay development of the Z-15 to an unknown degree.
The first EC 175 made its maiden flight in France on 4 December, but the
Z-15 timeline has now been pushed firmly to the right. "I can't tell you
what impact this will have on their programme," said Bertling.
The decision to find an alternative engine for the Z-15 is another pointer
towards People's Liberation Army (PLA) plans to place multiple versions of
the 7-tonne helicopter into military service. Always presented as a civilian
helicopter jointly developed by France and China, the Z-15 is sized to
address a commercial market that does not yet exist within China's tightly
regulated civil aviation sphere. Instead, the Z-15 is an ideal platform for
a battlefield utility and shipboard helicopter that fills a clear gap in
current PLA aviation capabilities.
A Pratt & Whitney Canada representative told Jane's that while the company
recognised speculation regarding an engine change had been circulating for
some time, no official notification of a programme change had yet been
received. It was acknowledged that China has a previously announced
long-term plan to develop a new engine with Turbomeca and a Z-15 re-engining
would be possible under Avicopter's joint contract with Eurocopter.
Pratt & Whitney Canada also noted that no further engines have been supplied
for the Z-10 beyond the handful used by the prototype aircraft.
AVIC breaks from Eurocopter to re-engine Z-15 helo
Robert Hewson Jane's Air-Launched Weapons Editor
Singapore
China's AVIC Helicopter Co (Avicopter) is breaking away from Eurocopter, its
partner in the joint EC 175/Z-15 medium helicopter programme, following a
decision to re-engine the Chinese Z-15 variant with an indigenous
powerplant.
Avicopter will redesign the Z-15 around a new and as-yet-undefined
turboshaft, to be developed in co-operation with France's Turbomeca.
Eurocopter will continue to develop and build its EC 175 variant with the
previously planned Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6C-67B.
Jane's has also learned that China has successfully re-engined its Changhe
Z-10 attack helicopter with an indigenous powerplant, believed to be
designated WZ-9, and has flown the aircraft in this configuration. A few
prototype Z-10s were initially built with PT6Cs, prompting serious questions
about how Western engines supplied for a notionally commercial development
programme were powering a purely military aircraft.
The furore over the use of PT6s by the Z-10 is likely to have been a factor
in China's decision to seek an alternative engine for the Z-15, with
Avicopter perhaps concerned about continuity of supply for what is a
strategically significant helicopter programme.
At a Singapore Air Show briefing earlier this month, Eurocopter President
and Chief Executive Dr Lutz Bertling confirmed the Z-15 redesign. Bertling
noted that the EC 175/Z-15 project had hit every predicted programme
milestone over the five years since it was launched and that the second EC
175 airframe was delivered to France in December. All major structural
components for the EC 175 and Z-15 are built in Harbin by Haifei Aviation
Industry Co.
Confirming the decision to drop Pratt & Whitney Canada from the Z-15,
Bertling said: "Our Chinese partners have decided to go with a separate
engine: a future non-existent design from Turbomeca." He added that this
would delay development of the Z-15 to an unknown degree.
The first EC 175 made its maiden flight in France on 4 December, but the
Z-15 timeline has now been pushed firmly to the right. "I can't tell you
what impact this will have on their programme," said Bertling.
The decision to find an alternative engine for the Z-15 is another pointer
towards People's Liberation Army (PLA) plans to place multiple versions of
the 7-tonne helicopter into military service. Always presented as a civilian
helicopter jointly developed by France and China, the Z-15 is sized to
address a commercial market that does not yet exist within China's tightly
regulated civil aviation sphere. Instead, the Z-15 is an ideal platform for
a battlefield utility and shipboard helicopter that fills a clear gap in
current PLA aviation capabilities.
A Pratt & Whitney Canada representative told Jane's that while the company
recognised speculation regarding an engine change had been circulating for
some time, no official notification of a programme change had yet been
received. It was acknowledged that China has a previously announced
long-term plan to develop a new engine with Turbomeca and a Z-15 re-engining
would be possible under Avicopter's joint contract with Eurocopter.
Pratt & Whitney Canada also noted that no further engines have been supplied
for the Z-10 beyond the handful used by the prototype aircraft.
