a process similar to that under which
the PLAAF has established aviation
brigades. Most of them have also been
renumbered corresponding to the
group army to which they are assigned,
and since January all helicopters have
been gaining new serial numbers, too.Z-8G enters service
In terms of technical enhancements, the
year began with an important milestone.
This is the Z-8G — also often called the
Z-18A — which is a dedicated army
transport derivative of the better-known
naval Z-18s.
The Z-18 has its roots in the Z-8F-100
project that rst ew in 2010 as the
civilian Avicopter AC313, China’s largest
helicopter to date. This is a further update
based on the Harbin Z-8 workhorse —
itself a development of France’s original
Aérospatiale Super Frelon.The basic Z-8 family has been in
service since the early 1980s, and it
was expected that a military successor
would follow in due course. The new
variant entered development at the 602
Institute and with Changhe as the Z-18.
As noted, it is based on the AC313 but
features a redesigned fuselage providing
a larger internal cabin, and improved
WZ-6C turboshaft engines (developing
around 1,300kW each) for improved ‘hot
and high’ performance. Extensive use is
made of composite materials and it has
a new ‘glass’ cockpit for its two pilots.
The rst version of the new helicopter
to enter service was the standard Z-18
White Heron, which serves as a VIP
transport on board the aircraft carrier
Liaoning. Later, three more naval
versions were noted under test and/or
in low-rate production. These included
the anti-submarine/anti-ship Z-18FCHINA’S ARMY AVIATION
SPREADS ITS WINGS
T
HE PEOPLE’S LIBERATION Army
(PLA) Army Aviation Corps was
only established in January- For a long time it was a
low priority, behind even the
PLA Naval Air Force (PLANAF),
let alone the PLA Air Force (PLAAF).
However, during the years that followed
it was expanded through the creation of
several operational regiments. Currently
the most widely used types are the Z-8
and Mi-17/171 for transport, the Z-9 for
liaison and reconnaissance, and the Z-10
and Z-19 combat helicopters.
In common with the rest of the PLA,
the Army Aviation Corps is undergoing
considerable modernization: rst with
the development of new types, and
second by a near-total reorganization
since April 2017. Today there are 13
operational helicopter units. These
are now assigned to group armies, in
This Z-18A
(LH911822) is
attached to
the Army’s 76
Brigade. Images
via Chinese
internet24 April 2018 //^ http://www.combataircraft.net
AIR WARFARE BRIEFINGS
FROM THE ASIA-PACIFICBY ANDREAS RUPPRECHT
24-25 Eye on the East C.indd 24 16/02/2018 10:15