Z-20 (all variants) thread

Pba_target

New Member
Registered Member
Basically they just added a domestic version of ESSS (External Store Support System) to Z20 so that it can carry tons of missiles, rockets, cannon and fuel tank. What is more interesting is : Have they upgraded the engine, seeing that they have revised the gas exhaust tube facing upward.

China had experimented with ESSS on their S-70C-2 Black Hawk a long time ago, so this development was only to be expected.
I am looking towards a dedicated heavy attack helicopter based on Z20.

A very old photo of PLA Aviation S-70C-2 with Chinese versiion of ESSS.
View attachment 78333
Hard to tell on the Twitter photos, but it looks likely there's some extra equipment on the nose of the modified aircraft, as well as the wing kit. There's obviously the test-style extended air data probe, but also looks like a larger electro-optic sensor on top and possibly something underneath the nose as well.
 

lcloo

Captain
Hard to tell on the Twitter photos, but it looks likely there's some extra equipment on the nose of the modified aircraft, as well as the wing kit. There's obviously the test-style extended air data probe, but also looks like a larger electro-optic sensor on top and possibly something underneath the nose as well.
Yes, they need some sort of tracking and aiming devices for missiles and rockets, should be similar to the sensor on Z10/Z19.
 

Chin evan

New Member
Registered Member
Can someone enlightenment me as to why the z20 needs to be armed with china having Z10 , z19 , z9attack version already
 

TerraN_EmpirE

Tyrant King
Can someone enlightenment me as to why the z20 needs to be armed with china having Z10 , z19 , z9attack version already
Blackhawk has ESSS and the US has Apache. Generally the ESSS is normally used for fuel tanks. Extending the range of the chopper for ferry. But in export they can sell it to nations who don’t have the want of a dedicated attack chopper.
 

pipaster

Junior Member
Registered Member
Can someone enlightenment me as to why the z20 needs to be armed with china having Z10 , z19 , z9attack version already
It may be a way in the medium term to eliminate z-9/19 type systems to cover the personnel, parts production etc over to a z-20 based one. Like what the US has done with the OH-58D.
 

TerraN_EmpirE

Tyrant King
It may be a way in the medium term to eliminate z-9/19 type systems to cover the personnel, parts production etc over to a z-20 based one. Like what the US has done with the OH-58D.
OH58D had issues that lead to its retirement. It was slated to be replaced first by the RAH66, when that was cancelled it was during Afghanistan. The problem there is that operating in the high hot of the Hindu Kush with thin air was putting the light weight single engine OH58D at its limitations. AH64 could operate their OH58D was designed based off Its original missions in near sea level Vietnam then updated with sensors and systems for the European theater.
The Apache took the mission as a scout but ever since the Kiowa was retired the US Army has been shopping for an off the shelf Scout with hot high capacity.
 

supersnoop

Major
Registered Member
It may be a way in the medium term to eliminate z-9/19 type systems to cover the personnel, parts production etc over to a z-20 based one. Like what the US has done with the OH-58D.

In addition to what @TerraN_EmpirE said, don’t forget that Z-19 came after Z-10 as well. So we can surmise that it was PLA itself that decided Z-19 was needed.

If we look at a lot of recent training videos, there are many where Z-19 is working in tandem with Z-10 as a hunter-killer team. If I recall correctly, it was also mentioned that Z-19 radar can be data linked with missiles from Z-10, so basically the Z-19 is becoming more integral rather than something that should be eliminated.
 

Aniah

Senior Member
Registered Member
Basically they just added a domestic version of ESSS (External Store Support System) to Z20 so that it can carry tons of missiles, rockets, cannon and fuel tank. What is more interesting is : Have they upgraded the engine, seeing that they have revised the gas exhaust tube facing upward.

China had experimented with ESSS on their S-70C-2 Black Hawk a long time ago, so this development was only to be expected.
I am looking towards a dedicated heavy attack helicopter based on Z20.

A very old photo of PLA Aviation S-70C-2 with Chinese versiion of ESSS.
View attachment 78333
I'm out of the loop here but the new heavy attack helicopter is based on the Z20?
 
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