Bolivian Army Buys 6 Chinese Helicopters

[razgriz19]

MODS MERGE/DELETE THE THREAD IF POSTED BEFORE!

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
Published: 22 Dec 2011 16:32

LA PAZ - Bolivia signed a deal Dec. 22 to buy six Chinese H425 helicopters for its army, at a ceremony attended by Bolivian ministers and Beijing's ambassador, local media reported.


Foreign minister Carlos Romero and planning minister Viviana Caro signed the accord with China's diplomatic representative in La Paz, Shen Zhiliang, in the presence of army chiefs.

"We believe these helicopters are crucial for the diverse needs of our military," said army chief Antonio Cueto.

The 12-seater aircraft will be delivered in 2012 and will also be used for civil defense, officials said.

Bolivia ordered six K-8 fighter aircraft from China in January to help its fight against drug traffickers as part of cooperation accord between the two countries.

Bolivian Army Buys 6 Chinese Helicopters - Defense News

 

[razgriz19]

 

[acetophenol]

Good job china,is the forward black part FLIR?

 

[lcloo]

H425 is a firefighter helicopter. Either the Bolivians are buying it for fire-fighting or there is an error in news report regarding the designation number of the helicopter. Anyway H425 is a derivative of Z-9 series helicopters.

[/URL][/IMG]

 

[lcloo]

Nice Eurocopter Dauphin.

It is licenced production with Chinese modification. Funny about western embargo, doesn't seen to included licenced production equipment? FYI, Eurocopter continue to co-operated with China to develop new Z-15 helicopter which will be test flight in few years.

 

[razgriz19]

H425 is a firefighter helicopter. Either the Bolivians are buying it for fire-fighting or there is an error in news report regarding the designation number of the helicopter. Anyway H425 is a derivative of Z-9 series helicopters.

[/URL][/IMG]

i dont think its just for fire fighting role..
it can be customise for any purpose.
from CATIC website:

"H425 Utility Helicopter

GENERAL

The H425 is a 4-ton-class twin-turbine multi-purpose helicopter with 10/14 seating. It is powered by two ARRIEL2C turbo-shaft engines and equipped with glass cockpit. The helicopter adopts advanced composite airframe, starflex hub, fenestron tail rotor, etc. It can be operated in IFR or VFR condition by day and night. The H425 meets the requirements of CCAR Part27 and is certified by CAAC.

The H425 can be used for passenger and business transport, search and rescue (SAR), EMS, law enforcement, etc. It features high speed, large payload and wide applications."

it seats 14 passenger!

 

[lcloo]

i dont think its just for fire fighting role..
it can be customise for any purpose.
from CATIC website:

"H425 Utility Helicopter

GENERAL



The H425 is a 4-ton-class twin-turbine multi-purpose helicopter with 10/14 seating. It is powered by two ARRIEL2C turbo-shaft engines and equipped with glass cockpit. The helicopter adopts advanced composite airframe, starflex hub, fenestron tail rotor, etc. It can be operated in IFR or VFR condition by day and night. The H425 meets the requirements of CCAR Part27 and is certified by CAAC.

The H425 can be used for passenger and business transport, search and rescue (SAR), EMS, law enforcement, etc. It features high speed, large payload and wide applications."

it seats 14 passenger!

Thanks for the information, I was wrong in assuming it has only fire-fighting role.

 

[Imran Khan]

good work china no wonder you are best salesman world ever seen

 

[Roybot]

It is licenced production with Chinese modification. Funny about western embargo, doesn't seen to included licenced production equipment? FYI, Eurocopter continue to co-operated with China to develop new Z-15 helicopter which will be test flight in few years.

Do you have more details about the modifications made?

 

[houshanghai]

china also export sino-pak K8s trainner to Bolivia except for helicopters now

Bolivia's president flew sino-pak K8s trainner

maybe sino-pak JFT will become the next bird which can be exported to Bolivia

 

[lcloo]

Do you have more details about the modifications made?

The first Z-9 flew in 1981, and was built in China from components supplied by Aérospatiale. On 16 January 1992, the indigenous variant Z-9B, constructed with 70% Chinese-made parts, flew successfully. The flight test was completed in November, 1992 and the design was finalized a month later. Z-9B production began in 1993 and entered PLA service in 1994. [2]

The Z-9B features 11-blade Fenestron faired-in tail rotor with wider-chord, all-composite blades replacing the 13-blade in AS 365N. As a light tactical troop transport, the Z-9 has the capacity to transport 10 fully armed soldiers.

Generally the Z-9 is identical to the AS 365N Dauphin, though later variants of the Z-9 incorporate more composite materials to increase structural strength and lower radar signature. The helicopter has a four-blade main rotor, with two turboshaft engines mounted side by side on top of the cabin with engine layout identical to the AS 365N. The Z-9 teardrop-shaped body features a tapered boom to the tail fin, with rounded nose and stepped-up cockpit, and retractable gear and all flat bottom.

[edit] Variants

An armed variant has been fielded by the PLA since the early 1990s as the WZ-9 or Z-9W, with pylons fitted for anti-tank missiles. These helicopters lack the maneuverability and survivability of a proper attack helicopter, and merely provide a stopgap during the development of the WZ-10. The latest armed version, the Z-9W, was introduced in 2005 and has night attack capabilities, with an under-nose low-light TV and infra-red observing and tracking unit.

The naval version introduced in the 1990s is known as the Z-9C. As well as SAR and ASW duties, the Z-9C can be fitted with an X-band KLC-1 surface search radar to detect surface targets beyond the range of shipborne radar systems.[3]
Z-9: Chinese license produce of the French AS.365N1.
Z-9A: Chinese kit-built version of the AS.365N2.
Z-9A-100: Prototypes for domestic market versions with WZ8A engines. First flight 16 January 1992, approved 30 December 1992.
Z-9B: Initial version based on Z-9A-100. Multi-role.
Z-9C: Chinese license produce of the Eurocopter AS.565 Panther given to the PLA Naval Air Force.
Z-9EC: ASW variant produced for the Pakistan Naval Air Arm. Configured with pulse-compression radar, low frequency dipping sonar, radar warning receiver and doppler navigation system, it is also armed with torpedoes for use aboard Pakistan Navy's F-22P Zulfiquar class frigates.[4][5]
Z-9W (WZ-9): Armed version with optional pylon-mounted armament and gyro stabilised, roof-mounted optical sight. Export designation Z-9G, roof-mounted sight optional.
Z-9WA: A newer night-capable versions have been built with nose-mounted FLIR. July 2011, Xinhua News Agency released a photo of Z-9WA firing ADK10 air-to-ground missile.[6]

 

[SQ8]

Wouldn't it be wonderful if some people went girly pink today for not being on topic?

Chopper seems to be SAR/firefighter..