Glimpses emerge of new Chinese heavy attack helicopter

Images of a new Chinese heavy attack helicopter performing flight testing began circulating on the internet in late March. Its nomenclature has not been officially revealed but it has been referred to by China watchers as the Z-21.

The helicopter’s maiden flight may have occurred in January, but the design’s most notable point has been its commonality with the Z-20 Black Hawk-lookalike utility helicopter of the PLA.

Andreas Rupprecht, author of multiple books on PLA aviation, told Shephard that rumours of a new attack helicopter have existed for a couple of years although these were of a stealthy Ka-52 coaxial-type aircraft.

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Rupprecht remarked: “Now with the first images at hand, it’s almost surprising that we didn’t put together those pieces we’ve known for years. The Z-20 itself is now a mature system. We have seen several prototypes (sometimes referred to as an assault version) with additional sensors and weapons, and so a Z-20-based design – which uses the proven powertrain, transmission, engines and tail arrangement mated to a new slimmer fuselage – makes perfect sense.”

He noted that the new platform “is clearly a Z-20 derivative and, as such – even if externally similar to the AH-64 – it is in fact a very close sibling to the failed Sikorsky S-71”. The S-71, based on the S-70 Black Hawk was a Sikorsky gunship proposed in 1973 but never built.

If the ‘Z-21’ indeed uses the Z-20 platform’s WZ10 engines, its performance relative to the existing Z-10 attack helicopter would be superior. The 5.5t-class Z-10 was hamstrung by underpowered WZ9 engines which impinged upon its flight performance, armour and payload capacity.

With neither the Z-19 scout/reconnaissance helicopter nor the Z-10 delivering the performance the PLA sought, development of the 10t-class Z-21 has come as no surprise.

The helicopter has a slim, tandem-seat fuselage with wide cheek fairings. Weaponry includes a cannon – probably of 23mm calibre and mounted underneath so as not to interfere with chin-mounted sensors on the Mi-28N-style nose – and a pair of stub wings each possessing three weapon stations. Its engine exhausts face upwards to reduce the aircraft’s infrared signature and it should feature better armour protection too.

By utilising Z-20 components, China can accelerate development time and reduce risk. Rupprecht acknowledged this would shorten the Z-21’s development cycle but he said he believed some commentators’ predictions of two-to-three years until it would enter PLA service were “questionable”.

He pointed out that the naval Z-20, which features fewer modifications, was still not in service despite first flying in 2018.

“Even more, to evaluate and prepare for its use as a heavy attack type – and, as such, surely different to how the Z-10A is used – will take time” Rupprecht remarked. “In my opinion, something like five-to-seven years is very much likely.’

This mosaic, utilising widely circulated internet photos, shows the tentatively named Z-21 heavy attack helicopter undergoing flight testing in China. (Photo: Chinese internet via X, formerly Twitter)

A millimetre-wave radar could eventually appear on the platform. Along with the PLA Ground Force, the PLA Marine Corps could eventually adopt it as well.

With two 1,790kW WZ10 engines, the high-altitude performance of the Z-21 would be enhanced, making it ideal for service along the mountainous Indian border.

More than that, the PLA has been focused on a Taiwan contingency. Indeed, if the Z-21’s combat range was similar to that of the Apache at approximately 500km, the aircraft could fly across the Taiwan Strait and back in support of an amphibious assault against Taiwan.

A report by the China Maritime Studies Institute of the US Naval War College posited that transport helicopters supported by attack helicopters could potentially conduct decisive operations by using inland landing zones as part of multi-dimensional attacks against Taiwan.

The report’s author, Tom Fox, calculated that PLA planners could achieve four cross-strait insertions in the first 24 hours, although “these high levels of flight hours are unsustainable for anything but the briefest operational windows”.

“In theory, [helicopters] could eventually become a game-changer for the military balance across the strait, but they are not that yet.” Fox said, concluding that PLA air assaults “in the next decade will become a more realistic option with lower costs than an amphibious assault”.

The new attack helicopter has been said to be the brainchild of Changhe’s 602nd Research Institute which also designed the Z-10. Harbin, the Z-20’s developer, has likely been involved as well, although it has remained unknown if multiple prototypes exist.

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