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Pakistan likely to buy China’s Z-10 Thunderbolt attack helicopters

Where are they going? FATA? They'll get smoked. Ask the Rooskies about helicopters and Afghanistan.
Between the geography, manpads, 12.5 cal weapons out the ying yang ( perhaps from ying yang ) most of the spots they'd be handy are bad places to be. Maybe some f king cricket pitch in Karachi; better the front lawn of the PM's crib. It get's like that.
 
Pakistan is in the evaluation of the platforms. Russians may have offered MI-35 but it still has to go through the winter and summer trials. same case goes for the Turkish option. Again it uses Pratt & Whitney engines (sanction prone). Third option is WZ-10. Well Chinese option in my opinion is a bit inferior but those three helicopters are probably for trial purposes only.
 
Mate Mi35 is different class and Z10 is different class.

Both must have some similarities.. The only difference I find is that Mi-35 is also used for transportation. But I think this news is not relevant.
 
Mate Mi35 is different class and Z10 is different class
Mate incase of Russian in helicopter they having an edge over west.

Edge with what? That they could produce much heavier, maintenance nightmares in numbers and for 75% of the capability and 60% of the cost compared to the Super Viper and the Apaches? I believe that statement...
 
Pakistan is in the evaluation of the platforms. Russians may have offered MI-35 but it still has to go through the winter and summer trials.

mi 35 is not proven ,?
havent it proven itself beating the shit out of mujaheddens
 
hold on hold on no need to jump... As you said T-129 having engine issues and Russia offered Mi-28 to Pakistan in IDEAS 2014... China is just giving 3 WZ-10 to Pak just for trials and testing just like they gave us MBT-3000 if we like it then it's a go go if don't then no no
So its for ''trial'' purpose?
U mean to say if Pakistan use it against terrorists operations and don't like it they will return it back saying............ummmm bro thanks for gift but its not worthy enough??? same goes for MBT3000..............
 
Hmmmmm....then its really cruel by US to force Pak to look for impossible options, I means by learning these facts and the current situation where US ignoring legitimate Pak needs in war on terror, its only sounds persistent showering of Salt by US on the wounds of Pakistanis....ordinary people on the streets rightly hate US...no doubt about it.

Well, I kind of think Pakistan is asking for the wrong thing. PA should have gone for AH-1W instead of Zulu Cobra.

I know the Zulu cobra is better, but they are new and even the USMC is fielding them as we speak, it's impossible for anyone, not just Pakistan, to ask for them.

But you got a lot of Super Cobra running around with a cheap price tag. And you can update them to Zulu standard once the US done with theirs. Then you can wait for T/A-129 or Z-10 and supplement them with Zulu cobra.

Apache is a next bet, but unless Pakistan can digest the 67 mil each price tag, it would be off the table, as there are not enough old apache (A/B) for the US Army itself, and they have to pull the A/B series from the national guard and put them back in Regular unit. So an apache deal must be for the new apache thru FMS but not watered down old apache with buddy price.

@jhungary - what's the percentage of common components between AH-1F and AH-1Z.... Not much if any. So the advantages that you are talking about don't exist.

You are comparing a different version. it's unlikely now the PA would ever get Zulu Cobra within the next few year, they are going to field the USMC first and they will be done by 2019 (too late)

PA should get the super cobra or whiskey cobra now and upgrade them later. Foxtrot cobra is about 80 to 85% compatible with Whiskey Cobra, they use the same radar, fire control unit and same avionic, the only different is the engine.

Zulu cobra have too much of a different than Foxtrot Cobra, it share about 60% similarity, with new engine, new fire control, and larger frame, AH-1Z and AH-1F is like Hornet and Superhornet...
 
Well this load out, with brand new engines and avionics (with future room to upgrade easily), this heli doesn't look bad at all. If I was in Pakistan's shoes and I could locally assemble this (or get TOT if lucky), I'd pick this bird. No need to spend so much money externally if you can build internally as a JV.

But If the US provides PA with Super Vipers, that that's worth it as it'll be financed through the FMS. Which obviously is a much cheaper option for one of the best combat choppers out there. But if that's not the case, I'd go domestic if possible, saving a lot of $$.



Allow me to assure you that the "high end technology option" still belongs to the US / West and will be so for the next 2 decades at the least. There is a reason why Pakistan hasn't signed for T-129 or for Z series. They are waiting to get a yes or no on the Vipers. These 3 are also being used as an evaluation platform. Not a real deal yet. Another stop gap is the MI-28's. There is a reason for all these stop-gap measured. The PA knows what's the best and higher tech and quality option out there and it still is the Super Viper (or the Apache's which the US may not provide to Pakistan right now).
Well this load out, with brand new engines and avionics (with future room to upgrade easily), this heli doesn't look bad at all. If I was in Pakistan's shoes and I could locally assemble this (or get TOT if lucky), I'd pick this bird. No need to spend so much money externally if you can build internally as a JV.

But If the US provides PA with Super Vipers, that that's worth it as it'll be financed through the FMS. Which obviously is a much cheaper option for one of the best combat choppers out there. But if that's not the case, I'd go domestic if possible, saving a lot of $$.



Allow me to assure you that the "high end technology option" still belongs to the US / West and will be so for the next 2 decades at the least. There is a reason why Pakistan hasn't signed for T-129 or for Z series. They are waiting to get a yes or no on the Vipers. These 3 are also being used as an evaluation platform. Not a real deal yet. Another stop gap is the MI-28's. There is a reason for all these stop-gap measured. The PA knows what's the best and higher tech and quality option out there and it still is the Super Viper (or the Apache's which the US may not provide to Pakistan right now).
Viper is indeed the best option if USA says ''yes''............but again how many Vipers? Enough to replace all Cobras?? If yes then great, if not then its problem...................Viper is after all Cobra big brother and it is not much different to operate than Cobras..................any way it will be interesting to see Apaches in India and Vipers in Pakistan..............both best in their cetagories
 
Well, I kind of think Pakistan is asking for the wrong thing. PA should have gone for AH-1W instead of Zulu Cobra.

I know the Zulu cobra is better, but they are new and even the USMC is fielding them as we speak, it's impossible for anyone, not just Pakistan, to ask for them.

But you got a lot of Super Cobra running around with a cheap price tag. And you can update them to Zulu standard once the US done with theirs. Then you can wait for T/A-129 or Z-10 and supplement them with Zulu cobra.

Apache is a next bet, but unless Pakistan can digest the 67 mil each price tag, it would be off the table, as there are not enough old apache (A/B) for the US Army itself, and they have to pull the A/B series from the national guard and put them back in Regular unit. So an apache deal must be for the new apache thru FMS but not watered down old apache with buddy price.



You are comparing a different version. it's unlikely now the PA would ever get Zulu Cobra within the next few year, they are going to field the USMC first and they will be done by 2019 (too late)

PA should get the super cobra or whiskey cobra now and upgrade them later. Foxtrot cobra is about 80 to 85% compatible with Whiskey Cobra, they use the same radar, fire control unit and same avionic, the only different is the engine.

Zulu cobra have too much of a different than Foxtrot Cobra, it share about 60% similarity, with new engine, new fire control, and larger frame, AH-1Z and AH-1F is like Hornet and Superhornet...

We like the shiny american toys but don't have the money to pay for them. You are right perhaps Pakistan is asking the wrong thing. Apache i don't think Pakistan is even interested in that. Besides i believe India already is in the process of getting those. US will never upset India over Pakistan even if agree on the 67 mil / piece price tag.
 
We like the shiny american toys but don't have the money to pay for them. You are right perhaps Pakistan is asking the wrong thing. Apache i don't think Pakistan is even interested in that. Besides i believe India already is in the process of getting those. US will never upset India over Pakistan even if agree on the 67 mil / piece price tag.

Well, I can think of a reason why US won't let Pakistani have the apache longbow, China. If PA bought them, it would most certainly going to hit Chinese market and sooner or later there will be a lot of Apache Copy from China which Pakistan would ended up buying....
 
Well, I can think of a reason why US won't let Pakistani have the apache longbow, China. If PA bought them, it would most certainly going to hit Chinese market and sooner or later there will be a lot of Apache Copy from China which Pakistan would ended up buying....

That's really an invalid argument IMO. The Chinese now have influence across the globe into many countries who use Apache's. If they really wanted to take a look, it would've happened by now. Plus they do have Eurocopter's tech which is based on the Western tech. Parts of which are used in Apache as well as its used throughout the NATO.
 
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