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WZ-16 Armed Reconaissance helicopter

According to the Hong Kong China Report in May 2010, China's self-developed next-generation armed helicopter Zhi-16 is being tested in a wind tunnel. "Military Messenger" weekly believes that the model of this new type of helicopter in China is Zhi-16, but more media believe that its model is Zhi-12. Military experts pointed out that the shape of the straight 16 is similar to the Comanche helicopter that the United States has dismounted. If China is equipped with the aircraft, it will fill the gap of the army without fighting helicopters, and its advanced radar technology will also shock the world.

The picture appeared in the news on 10 May 2010 on China's CCTV confirmed the previous rumors. This screen showed that the Z-16 model of gray body is being tested in the wind tunnel. The title of the picture is "The construction of China's first multifunctional icing wind tunnel is underway." The screen shows that the aircraft is equipped with a digital weapon management system, which can mount various NATO weapons, which can greatly improve the PLA's air combat capabilities.

Hughes' AH-64 Apache has replaced the Soviet Mi-24 Doe since the 1991 destruction of the Iraqi Armored Forces in the Gulf War, and has become the benchmark model for world attack helicopters. Because the US Army and the Indian Army are equipped with the American-made AH-64 "Apache", Taiwan also has it. Many domestic netizens are keen to compare Wuzhi-10 with the latter. In the opinion of military science writer Zhang Ming, the tonnage of Wuzhi-10 is roughly equivalent to the European "Tiger" type, while AH-64 is a heavy-duty helicopter. The two are not a heavyweight and cannot be directly compared. "Compared with the AH-64, the active duty Wuzhi-10 has a lighter load, fewer hanging bombs and a shorter range. The Apache can hang 16 anti-tank missiles, while the Wuzhi-10 has only eight. "

In fact, the Thunderbolt originally had a chance to become a first-class heavy attack helicopter on an equal footing with the Apache and Mi-28 Havoc, or it was subservient due to the "heart disease" common to Chinese military aircraft. When flying for the first time in 2003, the prototype of the Wuzhi-10 adopted the Canadian PT 6C-67B turboshaft engine. It adopted a dual-channel full-weight digital electronic control system with a power of 1,250 kilowatts and a high power-to-weight ratio. Low fuel consumption, reliability and maintainability are also excellent.

Other observers suggested the helicopter shown is the Apache. China has a habit of blowing wind with models of aircraft from other countries. Which is a clever thing to do, so as to understand the actual values (aerodynamic and otherwise) of those aircrafts for various uses, such as to build a weapon system (eg. another fighter) that had better or equal performance (aerodynamically - not counting electronic and other items such as engines) in it.. or to gather datas of foreign aircrafts that are not readily available anywhere.

China was equipped with the Z-10 and Z-9 gunships. But they were all developed for ground attack. In the face of the increasingly comprehensive integrated landing situation, the Chinese Army urgently needs combat helicopters. The appearance of the aircraft was to fundamentally change the appearance of the Chinese Army.

Earlier European and American experts commented that the aircraft is likely to copy the "Apache". In 2004, the Carter Aircraft Manufacturing Bureau had 13 volumes of aircraft drawings magically disappeared. The drawing was once one of Comanche's designs. The PLA's straight 16, maneuverability and air combat capabilities may be even better. The most important significance of its advent is that it has given China a specially designed combat helicopter, and has improved the technical level of the helicopter by 20 years.

Based on media reports from Russian magazines such as Military Courier and Pakistan Defence, Chinese official media exposed a new type of armed helicopter that may be under development in reports on the construction of a wind tunnel in the PLA. Some foreign media speculate that, unlike the Wuzhi-10 helicopter, which is good at ground attack, the design of this new type of helicopter focuses on air combat capabilities. It will fill the gap of PLA combat air combat helicopters, thereby strengthening its lethality.

The Russian "Mechanical Courier" weekly speculates that the multifunctional icing wind tunnel of the People's Liberation Army has begun to operate, which indicates that the new research and experimental area of the China Aerodynamics Research and Development Center has entered the substantive construction phase. In the Chinese state media's report, the screen shot of a gunship model under wind tunnel test flashed. The report speculates that this is the latest armed helicopter of the PLA. Its exposure indicates that China's new generation of armed helicopters has entered the testing phase.

It is reported that the PLA has now been equipped with Zhi-9 and Wuzhi-10 helicopters, both of which are designed for ground attack. Because of the complex combat situation it may face, the Chinese Army Air Force also needs an armed helicopter that is good at fighting in the air. The report speculates that the PLA may have started to develop such a helicopter, which is equipped with a digital weapon management system and can carry various air combat weapons and ground attack weapons. It may also use advanced radar, and air maneuverability and combat capabilities will be excellent.

Compared with the famous Apache attack helicopter of the U.S. military, the longest distance of the Comanche helicopter to find the target has increased by 40%, and its combat response time has been shortened by 95%. It can be seen that this helicopter's air combat capability is exceptional. "Mechanical Courier" pointed out that if such an armed helicopter can join the PLA Army Air Force's combat sequence, it will fill the gap of its combat helicopter, thereby greatly improving the airborne force of the Army Air Force.

Although helicopters are a weakness in the field of Chinese aircraft development, in recent years China has made continuous efforts in this area and achieved results. It is reported that the main task of China's helicopter industry is the development of medium-sized general-purpose helicopters to meet military and civilian needs. The program aims to establish a common power system, and then develop various helicopters according to different purposes.