The point of gunships is that they are less vulnerable to ground fire. As the pirates don't have that kind of fire power ( yet? ) it doesn't make sense to add another type of helicopter.Thanks for the clarification guys.
I was thinking that perhaps the WZ-10 in the photo only look "white" (rather then "grey") due to the camera's exposure settings, but from what was said above, that's probably not the case.
... now, not trying to imply that the PLAN might/could/should field WZ-10 for anti-piracy patrol. Is there any advantages for using gunships like the WZ-10 for anti-piracy role? Or, would helicopters like Z-9 (armed for the task) be more then sufficient? Basically, I am interested in knowing if any of the other nations participating in anti-piracy patrol off the coast of Somalia have use gunships or have considered using them there? In a way, are gunships expensive to operate for this kind of operation?
Z-10 thread
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plawolf
Lieutenant General
The white color is just the primer and not a paint scheme as shown by this picture of WZ10s still on the production line.
Looks like they are finally mass producing the WZ10. I wonder how many the PLA will ultimately take.
Thanks for the clarification guys
I was thinking that perhaps the WZ-10 in the photo only look "white" (rather then "grey") due to the camera's exposure settings, but from what was said above, that's probably not the case.
... now, not trying to imply that the PLAN might/could/should field WZ-10 for anti-piracy patrol. Is there any advantages for using gunships like the WZ-10 for anti-piracy role? Or, would helicopters like Z-9 (armed for the task) be more then sufficient? Basically, I am interested in knowing if any of the other nations participating in anti-piracy patrol off the coast of Somalia have use gunships or have considered using them there? In a way, are gunships expensive to operate for this kind of operation?
I will reply with this. Type 052C and Type 054A can only accommodate 1 helicopter. Now if you replace it with a attack helicopter how are you going to ferry soldiers around? When your boarding you attack from boat and air. If you replace it with attack helicopter then you eliminate that option, also if you want to ferry supplies or wounded soldier else where you don't have a transport helicopter.
PLAN sends 1 supply, 2 escorts. So you have 3 helicopters, but don't forget they aren't escorting just a couple of ships but many, you need multiple helicopters to provide coverage to the ships, conduct sweeps and patrols.
Now they could put 1 attack helicopter to test out equipment in operation on Type 071, since it is a perfect excuse as no one would really question, worried or be alerted at.
In the end attack helicopter can only provide air coverage but cannot engage when pirates have already boarded the ship.
plawolf
Lieutenant General
Attack helos for escort duty would be a waste, and it wouldnt even be any good training wise since in combat, the attack helo would ideally want to sneak up on an enemy behind cover and take it out quickly before it's presence is even known.
Unarmed Z9s with a guy sticking a gun out of the door is deterant enough against pirates already. You only need WZ10s embarked if you want to launch a full blown amphibious assault on the pirate ports, but in which case, you would need a hell of a lot more of them than can squeeze onboard any DDG or LPD. You will need an LHD at the very least for that sort of thing.
But since China doesn't have any LHDs or very many WZ10s at the moment, any such talk would be fanciful at best.
However, the Varyag does present an interesting possibility. She is still having all her kinks worked out at Dalian shipyard and needs to train up her crew, but if something drastic happens and China does desperately need to launch an amphibious assault far from home in the next 2-5 years (ie before the PLANAF becomes truely proficient enough with fixed wing carrier ops to be launching J15s in anger with the Varyag, and if fighting against a far inferior foe), deploying a regiment or two of army WZ10s on the Varyag instead of J15s may well be a possibility.
Unarmed Z9s with a guy sticking a gun out of the door is deterant enough against pirates already. You only need WZ10s embarked if you want to launch a full blown amphibious assault on the pirate ports, but in which case, you would need a hell of a lot more of them than can squeeze onboard any DDG or LPD. You will need an LHD at the very least for that sort of thing.
But since China doesn't have any LHDs or very many WZ10s at the moment, any such talk would be fanciful at best.
However, the Varyag does present an interesting possibility. She is still having all her kinks worked out at Dalian shipyard and needs to train up her crew, but if something drastic happens and China does desperately need to launch an amphibious assault far from home in the next 2-5 years (ie before the PLANAF becomes truely proficient enough with fixed wing carrier ops to be launching J15s in anger with the Varyag, and if fighting against a far inferior foe), deploying a regiment or two of army WZ10s on the Varyag instead of J15s may well be a possibility.
plawolf
Lieutenant General
The Helo space on a LPD would be far better used for transport helos. LPDs are designed to transport and disembark ground forces on an enemy beach ASAP. If you want CAS or attack helo support, you need an LHD or a carrier to launch anything other than a half-hearted effort.
but then we have to entertain a thought about a future PLAN STOVL aircraft ala F-35B on Wasp
i guess it's a bit of a stretch to talk about WZ-10 for naval and amphibious operations for now, the only possible scenario is Taiwan
btw that front fuselage is 100% composite. bake and cured in autoclave in single piece.
plawolf
Lieutenant General
Where did you hear that from? Do you have a source?
I am not sure how sensible that approach would be on an attack helo if it was true. It would help the helo avoid detection, but battle damage could be tricky and expensive to fix if the whole front fuselage is made out of composites.
I wonder if such extensive composite use was an original design decision, or was forced onto the design because of the powerplant problems.
Composites could certainly help with regards to the plane's weight. But they are likely other costs associated with it's use, cost being just one of the factors. I do not believe any of the other major attack helos use quite so much composites.
Given that China produced inferior output turboshaft engine for helo compare to west. Reducing weight to achieve require performance is a priority...
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