SINGAPORE—Chinese aviation conglomerate AVIC has brought a Changhe Z-10ME to the Singapore Airshow this year, marking the attack helicopter’s first trip to a foreign event.
The appearance comes six years after the Z-10ME was displayed publicly for the first time at Airshow China in 2018.
The twin-seat Z-10ME highlights a large showing by the military-oriented AVIC and Chinese commercial aircraft maker Comac. The latter also brought four ARJ-21 and two C919 aircraft, which are also making their debuts at a foreign event.
Although less widely known than its commercial aviation sister aircraft, the Z-10ME is among the most advanced products produced so far by China’s rotorcraft industry.
The Z-10ME in the static exhibit section displays several of the type’s known armaments, as well as identifies certain equipment for the first time.
For example, the exhibit identifies China’s 70mm unguided rockets as the FS70B, with a guided version also shown as the GR5 rocket. Both are fired by either a seven-pod launcher show on the display aircraft, or a 19-pod launcher that is not present in the Singapore display.
Several more advanced munitions for the Z-10ME are also available to see. These include the non-line-of-sight CM-502KG air-to-surface missile and the TY-90 air-to-air missile. Three belts of 23mm high-explosive incendiary ammunition are also laid out in front of the aircraft.
The aircraft on display also appears to be bristling with sensors and defensive equipment, including a mast-mounted fire control radar, nose-mounted electro-optical/infrared sensor turret, an infrared exhaust suppressor and other devices that may represent countermeasure dispensers.
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