Harbin Z-19 (Black Whirlwind) (WZ-19)

History

China has gained a lot of experience with the licensed production of the French-made Eurocopter AS365 "Dove" (which is produced under the Harbin Aircraft Manufacturing Company label as "Z-9"). Considering the eventual move to this type of armed variant, the overall design remains largely unchanged, albeit with some notable changes, including weapon pylons and applicable tracking/engagement equipment.

This led to the "Z-19", a special attack helicopter with "stealth" characteristics designed to work with the upcoming Z-10 attack helicopter force. The Z-19 is in service with the Chinese military and made its maiden flight in May 2010.

Sometime in September 2010, one of the prototypes was lost in an accident during testing, which delayed development somewhat.

The core performance of the Harbin Z-19 is comparable to that of contemporary attack helicopters such as the US Hughes AH-64 Apache and the Russian Mil Mi-28 Havoc - although they are more similar in performance to the US Marine Corps The mission scope of the Squadron Bell AH-1 Viper, the most advanced version of the Vietnam War-era Cobra attack platform. As such, it follows conventional wisdom in its design configuration, with two pilots sitting side by side - the chief pilot in the rear raised cockpit and the weapons officer in the front cockpit. Avionics will feature the latest Chinese fly-by-wire technology, processing systems and digital capabilities, as seen in the new domestic military aircraft (basically developed from its original Soviet/Russian origins).

Built on the French AS365/Chinese Z-9, the Z-19 has roughly the same tail structure and engine placement - the Z-19's defining physical features are its stepped cockpit and sleek fuselage design. The chin turret contains various optics (TV, FLIR, laser rangefinder), while the landing gear is attached to two main legs protruding from the sides of the fuselage and a tail wheel that supports the rear structure. The engine is mounted high and off the ground to reduce the heat signature, which is further aided by special dampers on the exhaust. The tail is nearly identical to the Z-9, with a ducted Fenestron tail rotor, a high reach vertical main stabilizer tail and a pair of vertical stabilizers mounted on short pylons along the tailstock.

The twin-engine layout traditionally drives the four-blade main rotor and ducted tail rotor. Weapons hang from short wings, providing a flexible ordnance mix, in line with the current generation seen elsewhere.

The Z-19's low attack characteristics ensured it had an armoured cockpit for the crew and crash-proof seats for worst-case scenarios.

The Z-19 is powered by 2 Zhuzhou Aero Engine Factory WZ-8A turboshaft engines - the same as the Z-9B series, and a copy of the French Turbomeca Arriel turboshaft engine. Each engine is rated at 848 horsepower, has an estimated top speed of 152 mph, and has a range of up to 435 miles.

In terms of armament, the Z-19 will adopt a weapon pattern common to all modern attack helicopters. These include various Chinese-made air-to-air missiles, air-to-surface missiles (including anti-tank missiles), rocket pods, gun pods, and gun pods.

Hardpoints can also be installed to carry external fuel supplies for longer engagements. The Z-19 is mentioned along with HJ-8 (ATGM) anti-tank missiles and TY-90 air-to-air missiles and a 23mm gun.

While the upcoming Z-10 will be classified as a "heavy" attack helicopter, the Z-19 will be classified as a light type. In this way, the Z-19 will be a direct complement to the Z-10, working together as a "hunter-killer" team, while the Z-19 will continue to play the role of the armored scout.

In any case, in the new millennium, the Chinese military is definitely expanding its tactical capabilities to show the world where it belongs as a great defense superpower. For the Asia-Pacific region -- and the US for that matter -- this is certainly a red flag.

The Z-19 is also available for export customers, these will be marked with the designation "WZ-19". Since the Z-19 is still in the development and prototype stage at the time of writing (2012), it is suspected that it will not enter service until sometime in 2015 or later, as many airborne systems must first pass various assessments and military-grade announcements full functioning.

As mentioned earlier, the Chinese Army has also begun to equip its Z-9 helicopter family with the latest standard "Z-9WZ" with full weapons capabilities, making the PLA a modern attack artist until more dedicated helicopter platforms come online of.

AVICopter developed an export version of the Z-19 (called "WZ-19").

Specification

Basic

Production

Roles

Weight

Performance

Performance

Armor

Changes