H Khan on sister forum shared this.....confirming my suspicion..
The news coming out of Airshow China 2018 exhibition in Zhuhai that most of improvements for Zhishengji-10ME (Z-10ME) were performed from lessons learned while three of these aircrafts were flying with PAAC as flying demos. Improvements included active and passive survivability modifications including a comprehensive airborne countermeasures suite comprising an indigenously developed missile approach warning system (MAWS) and radar warning receiver (RWR), which can be configured to automatically dispense chaff or flares from two box-shaped 6×4 dispenser systems on either side of the fuselage. passive defenses include a revised engine nozzle layout that is upturned to channel hot exhaust gases upwards to reduce the helicopter’s infrared (IR) signature, -10ME is also outfitted with inlet particle separators (IPS) for the twin intakes to reduce sand, dust, and other harmful solid particulate damage to critical engine and propulsion components resulting in power loss. According to AVIC’s specifications, the Z-10ME has a maximum take-off weight (MTOW) of 6,000 kg, measuring 16.1 m long, 4.4 m high, and features a rotor diameter of 13.5 m. Although the company had earlier provided performance figures that state a maximum level flight speed of 259 km/h, a service ceiling of 4,400 m (14,435 ft), an endurance of 3.5 hours, and an ability to perform hover out of ground effect at 6,889 ft, which is better than AH-1Z.
The Z-10ME can be fitted with an under-nose turret armed with a PX-10A 23 mm-calibre main gun, although launch rails under its two stub-wings can carry up to eight KD-9 or BA-7/KD-10 anti-tank guided missiles (ATGMs), PL-90 air-to-air missiles (AAMs), or 19-tube rocket pods.
A new helicopter-deployed surveillance or electronic warfare (EW) unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) called the Tian Yi-6 (‘Sky Wing-6’ or SW-6) was shown alongside the helicopter type for the first time.