- Harbin Z-9
Infobox Aircraft
name= Harbin Z-9
image
caption=
type= Medium multi-purpose helicopter
manufacturer=Harbin Aircraft Manufacturing Corporation
designer-
first flight= 1981
introduced= 1994
retired=
status= Operational
primary user= China
more users=Pakistan Navy
produced=
number built= 200+
unit cost=
developed from =Aérospatiale Dauphin
variants with their own articles=The Harbin Z-9 is a Chinese military utility
helicopter . It is a license-built version of the FrenchEurocopter Dauphin , and is manufactured byHarbin Aircraft Manufacturing Corporation . The first Z-9 flew in 1981, and was built in China from components supplied byAérospatiale , but by the early 1990s the Z-9B was being built from over 70% indigenous Chinese components.cite news | first= | last= | coauthors= | title=Z-9 Utility Helicopter | date=2007-01-06 | publisher=SinoDefence.com | url =http://www.sinodefence.com/airforce/helicopter/z9.asp | work = | pages = | accessdate = 2008-03-26 | language = ]On 16 January 1992, indigenous variant Z-9B was constructed with 70% Chinese-made parts flew successfully. The flight test completed in November 1992, with design certificate being certified later next month. The Z-9B production began in 1993, entering PLA service in 1994.
The Z-9B features 11-blade
Fenestron faired-in tail rotor with wider-chord, all-composite blades replacing the 13-blade in AS 365N. As a light tactical troop transport, the Z-9 has the capacity to transport 10 fully armed soldiers.Generally the Z-9 is identical to the AS 365N Dauphin, though later variants of the Z-9 incorporate more composite materials to increase structural strength and lower radar signature. The helicopter has a four-blade main rotor, with two turboshaft engines mounted side by side on top of the cabin with engine layout identical to the AS 365N. The Z-9 teardrop-shaped body features a tapered boom to the tail fin, with rounded nose and stepped-up cockpit, and retractable gear and all flat bottom.
Variants
An
attack helicopter variant has been fielded by the PLA since the early 1990s as the WZ-9 or Z-9W, with pylons fitted foranti-tank missile s. These helicopters lack the maneuverability and survivability of a proper attack helicopter, and merely provide a stopgap during the development of theWZ-10 . The latest armed version, the Z-9W, was introduced in 2005 and has night attack capabilities, with an under-nose low-light TV andinfra-red observing and tracking unit.The naval version introduced in the 1990s is known as the Z-9C. As well as SAR and ASW duties, the Z-9C can be fitted with an
X-band KLC-1 surface search radar to detect surface targets beyond the range of shipborne radar systems.cite news | first= | last= | coauthors= | title=Z-9C (AS 565 Panther) Naval Helicopter | date=2007-28-07 | publisher=SinoDefence.com | url =http://www.sinodefence.com/airforce/helicopter/z9c.asp | work = | pages = | accessdate = 2008-03-26 | language = ]*Z-9: Chinese copy of the French AS.365N1.
*Z-9A: Chinese kit-built version of the AS.365N2.
*Z-9A-100: Prototypes for domestic market versions with WZ8A engines. First flight 16 January 1992, approved 30 December 1992.
*Z-9B: Initial version based on Z-9A-100. Multi-role.
*Z-9C: Chinese copy of the Eurocopter AS.565 Panther given to the PLA Naval Air Force.
*WZ-9/Z-9W: Armed version with optional pylon-mounted armament and gyro stabilised, roof-mounted optical sight. Export designation Z-9G, roof-mounted sight optional. Newer night-capable versions have been built with nose-mountedFLIR .
*H410A: Version with 635kW WZ8C turboshaft engines. First flight September 2001, CAAC certification 10 July 2002. One is currently beeng fitted with a new Mast-Mounted Sighting (MMS) system.
*H425: Newest VIP version of the H410A.
*H450: Projected development.Operators
;CHN;KEN;PAK
*Pakistan Navy pecifications (Z-9B)
ee also
aircontent
related=
*Eurocopter Dauphin
*Eurocopter Panther
similar aircraft=
*Agusta A109
* Bell 222/230/430
*Sikorsky S-70
sequence=
* Z-8 - Z-9 -WZ-10 - Z-11
lists=
see also=References
External links
* [http://www.sinodefence.com/airforce/helicopter/wz9.asp www.sinodefence.com]
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