China’s new military helicopter with innovative design makes 1st flight

[beijingwalker]

China’s new military helicopter with innovative design makes 1st flight
By Liu Xuanzun
Published: Apr 05, 2022 06:02 PM

An armed helicopter fleet launches an assault on the defense works and firing points of the mock terrorists during the low-altitude defense penetration operations in the China-Russia joint military exercise ZAPAD/INTERACTION-2021 at a training base of the PLA Army in Qingtongxia City of West China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region from August 9 to 13, 2021. (eng.chinamil.com.cn/Photo by Wang Weidong)

China's top helicopter makers recently announced that a new type of helicopter with an innovative design has successfully completed its maiden flight, and this prototype chopper will lead to the development of the next-generation, high-performance helicopter for the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA).

The new helicopter, which might have a completely different aerodynamic design compared with most current ones, could feature a higher speed, better stealth capabilities or a larger takeoff weight, analysts said on Tuesday.

In order to break the limits of the conventional aerodynamic design, enhance performance and combat capabilities, push forward technological innovations and optimize the industrial development modes, the Changhe Aircraft Industry (Group) Corporation Ltd and the China Helicopter Research and Development Institute, both based in Jingdezhen, East China's Jiangxi Province as subsidiaries of the state-owned Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC), launched a self-funded project to develop a new helicopter platform in March 2019. The project was reviewed in March 2022 in a routine joint work conference conducted by the two subsidiaries, the institute said in a press release on its WeChat account on Sunday.

The new helicopter has successfully completed its first flight and is conducting more test flights to verify its performance, according to the press release.

It will lay down a solid foundation for the upcoming development of the next-generation, high-performance helicopter for the PLA, the press release said. It noted that through the project, the two AVIC subsidiaries have resolved many technical problems in advance, and is promoting the approval of a national project for the continued development of the new helicopter.

The press release did not give further details on the new helicopter, including how its design is different from the conventional one or its intended missions, like whether the new helicopter is an attack helicopter, a reconnaissance helicopter or a transport helicopter.

In line with the trend of technology development in the world, a new helicopter in demand could feature characteristics like a higher speed, better stealth capabilities or a larger takeoff weight, a Chinese military expert told the Global Times on Tuesday, requesting anonymity.

The US' SB>1 Defiant helicopter demonstrator is designed with a rigid coaxial rotor system and a pusher propeller in an attempt to achieve higher speeds than current helicopters while maintaining low-speed handling qualities. The US' V-22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft, a hybrid of a helicopter and a turboprop aircraft, is also an attempt to achieve similar functionalities.

The US reportedly deployed a stealth-capable variant of the Black Hawk helicopter during the raid in Pakistan on Osama Bin Laden in 2011.

As for now, China still does not have a heavy attack helicopter, with the Z-10 attack helicopter being of only medium weight, nor does China possess a domestically developed heavy transport helicopter, with one still being jointly developed with Russia, observers said.

As the new helicopter will have a completely new aerodynamic design, it is difficult to predict its capabilities now, the expert said, noting that since the project is a self-funded one and the helicopter is still a prototype, it will likely still take some time for it to become mature.

China’s new military helicopter with innovative design makes 1st flight - Global Times

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[beijingwalker]

After ‘Super Success’ Of Z-20, China Launches Next-Gen Stealth Helicopter That Boasts ‘Superior’ Features​

By Sakshi Tiwari
April 6, 2022

The Chinese military has been working on developing new and more advanced military choppers after successfully establishing a family of military choppers in the last few decades, including the Z-20 helicopter which has been projected as the cornerstone of its air power.

China’s leading helicopter manufacturers announced that an all-new type of helicopter with an innovative design has successfully completed its maiden flight.

The prototype of this chopper will lead to the development of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army’s next-generation, high-performance helicopter, Global Times reported.

According to analysts, the new helicopter could have a higher speed, better stealth capabilities, or a larger takeoff weight than most current helicopters in its inventory.

Z-20 Helicopter (via Twitter)

The Changhe Aircraft Industry (Group) Corporation Ltd and the China Helicopter Research and Development Institute, both subsidiaries of the state-owned Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC), launched a self-funded project to break the limits of conventional aerodynamic design, improve performance and combat capabilities, push forward technological innovations, and optimize industrial development modes in Jingdezhen, East China’s Jiangxi Province.

The institution claimed in a news release on its WeChat account recently that the project was examined in March 2022 during a routine joint work meeting held by the two companies. According to the press statement, the new helicopter completed its first flight successfully and is now performing additional test flights to ensure its performance.

This development comes shortly after China had hinted that it was also developing an enhanced variant of the Z-20 helicopters.

Often referred to as a clone of the American Black Hawk chopper, the Z-20 is apparently going through various upgrades to allow the helicopter to perform multiple missions. The manufacturer’s priority is an assault variant of this iconic helicopter.

China’s Helicopters Of The Future​

Since the 1950s, China has manufactured around 60 different types of helicopters based on 12 different platforms. Xu Jianhua, head of the China Helicopter Research and Development Institute had told the Global Times on the sidelines of a future helicopter design tournament, 2021.

According to the press release, the prototype will lay a solid foundation for the PLA’s future development of a next-generation, high-performance helicopter. It stated that the two AVIC subsidiaries have solved many technical issues ahead of schedule as a result of the project and that it is promoting the approval of a national project for the new helicopter’s continued development.

The authorities divulged no additional information about the new aircraft, such as how it differs from conventional helicopters in design or its planned missions, and whether it is an attack helicopter, a reconnaissance helicopter, or a transport helicopter.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1184458080148434946

However, at the time of the Helicopter design tournament held last year, some Chinese analysts had spelled out the potential features of the future aircraft. Deng Jinghui, the chief designer at the Helicopter Research and Development Institute had said that the future helicopter could include AI, the Internet of Things, 5G connectivity, new energy, and new materials.

Situational awareness enhancement, decision-making assistance, intelligent pilot-helicopter interaction, smart cockpits, autopilots, boundary protection, noise-reducing smart rotor adjustments, and smart landing gears are just a few examples of where AI could be used.

China currently lacks both a heavy assault helicopter (the Z-10 attack helicopter is only medium weight) and a domestically manufactured heavy transport helicopter (one is still being jointly developed with Russia), according to observers.

It’s difficult to anticipate the capabilities of the new helicopter right now because it’ll have a completely new aerodynamic design, according to the expert, who also noted that because the project is self-funded and the aircraft is still a prototype, it’ll take some time for it to mature.

Helicopters of the West​

The Defiant X compound rigid-coaxial rotors helicopter, created jointly by US companies Sikorsky and Boeing, is a good example of how the US and Europe are progressing in their high-speed helicopter projects. This chopper is said to be capable of flying at speeds of over 400 kilometers per hour, much exceeding current models.

Defiant X- via Twitter

Further, the US Army is currently evaluating, testing, and debating two different helicopter programs for the future. The Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft (FARA) is the first, while the Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft is the second (FLRAA). The FLRAA is expected to quadruple the current UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter’s range and speed. Both types are to be built to meet Army speed, range, and lift requirements.

Having said that, China and the West are investing in developing helicopters of the future to aid in multi-role missions and work as capacity enhancer while also functioning as an assault aircraft.

The future helicopters could also be pitted against one another as has been the case with the Z-20 and Blackhawks.

After ‘Super Success’ Of Z-20, China Launches Next-Gen Stealth Helicopter That Boasts ‘Superior’ Features

The Chinese military has been working on developing new and more advanced military choppers after successfully establishing a family of military choppers in the last few decades, including the Z-20 helicopter which has been projected as the cornerstone of its air power. China’s leading...

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