Z-10 & Z-19 Combat Helicopter News & Discussion

[qwerrty]

the early prototype seemed to have a better sensors. don't know why they change it to only simple mounted FLIR?

 

[somebozo]

looks like a capable contender

 

[houshanghai]

new pic

 

[houshanghai]

 

[gambit]

The fuselage appears to have a stealthy diamond cross section to reduce RCS.

Contrary to popular beliefs everywhere, radar cross section (RCS) reduction was not the original consideration for the tandem seating configuration. The Cobra's slim frontal profile, made possible by the tandem seating design, was intended for frontal aerodynamic drag reduction and more to make infantry riflemen's targeting of the aircraft difficult. Hard to believe but that is the case. For RCS control...There are simply too much external 'doodads' hanging off the helo's fuselage to make fuselage RCS reduction worthwhile. Further...The helo's mission usually takes it down to the proverbial 'tree top' level to put it well within detection range of even police radar that catches violators of the motorway speed limit laws.

The helo's rotor is often an excellent computational exercise for aspiring radar engineers. The phenomena is called the 'RADAM effects'...

AccessScience | Encyclopedia Article | Continuous-wave radar

Rapid discontinuous fluctuations in the scattering from a moving multielement target is known as the intermittent-contact RADAM (radar detection of agitated metals) effect. This effect is observed in the contact between the drive sprocket and the tread of a tank and can be used to define signatures of various kinds of fighting vehicles.

The Doppler factor weighs heavily in creating the RADAM algorithms. From any viewing perspective and angle, there is always one rotor blade traveling towards the viewer and one traveling away. Therefore, the greater the number of rotor blades, the greater the complexity of the Doppler signatures and assurances of their presence. It make sense, if the rotor does not perform, or rotate, in a consistent manner, the helo does not fly. So the greater the assurances of the rotor blades' as RCS contributors, or rather the rotor itself, especially when that contributor is highly consistent from any viewing perspective and angle, the less of a need to consider the fuselage and assorted 'doodads' themselves as contributors to the final vehicle's RCS. That does not mean those contributors are not important. They are. But only that they are of secondary importance compared to the rotor blades when the helo is in flight.

To date, the only known source for a potential remedy for the RADAM effects for helos is from materials science. In order to take flight and maintain stable flight, the blades themselves are wings and therefore they must obey the same aerodynamic laws as fixed wings aircrafts. Just like the wings on the F-117 or the F-22, each blade cannot be faceted. Unlike fixed wing aircrafts where blended body-wing designs are common and can actually assist in RCS reduction as well as share the aerodynamic burden of flight, the helo's rotor blades are the only means the helo can take flight and maintain stable flight. That leave materials science, not body shaping trickery, as the only way to reduce the rotor blades as RCS contributors.

 

[SQ8]

Ah.. I miss the RAH-66...

There does seem to be an effort to make this design quite a bit streamlined.. So we may be looking at speeds approaching the Mi-24 for this bird.

 

[milvipes]

Obviously, it will also carry unguided rockets. Has it been revealed what kind of rockets will it carry? 57 or 80mm.

 

[Whiplash]

Awesome machine. Looks great.

Obviously, it will also carry unguided rockets. Has it been revealed what kind of rockets will it carry? 57 or 80mm.

Err.. Both? Depends on which rocket pod you attach. All combat helos can carry both. Unless your question is related to which ones the chinese have standardised for the chopper. Then I'm not sure.

A question to the Chinese members. The large partition between the cockpit glass of the two pilots. Won't it cause huge obstruction to the rear pilots view?

 

[CardSharp]

Does China have a functional equivalent of the Hellfire?

 

[tanlixiang28776]

Does China have a functional equivalent of the Hellfire?

For a while now. The HJ 10 .

 

[Transgress]

I hear China's helicopter fleet has low firepower, due to French roots. How does this compare? Pretty sure this was inspired by previous helicopter designs and experience, should get those Hinds and improve em

 

[localoca]

Contrary to popular beliefs everywhere, radar cross section (RCS) reduction was not the original consideration for the tandem seating configuration..

That's one big load of baloney

 

[Akasa]

I hear China's helicopter fleet has low firepower, due to French roots. How does this compare? Pretty sure this was inspired by previous helicopter designs and experience, should get those Hinds and improve em

This helicopter is a multi-role helicopter, which, unlike the AH-64D, has the ability to engage both ground targets and participate in air-to-air missions. It emphasizes stealthiness and maneuverability over the AH-64.

 

[no_name]

I feel that the new planes and helis of PLA will now be tested in dark green colour scheme rather than yellow primer coatings. Does this represent a shift? The Z-10 was painted dark green. The the J-20 showed up and was pained dark green.

Is this the new paint scheme for future new aircrafts?

 

[tanlixiang28776]

I feel that the new planes and helis of PLA will now be tested in dark green colour scheme rather than yellow primer coatings. Does this represent a shift? The Z-10 was painted dark green. The the J-20 showed up and was pained dark green.

Is this the new paint scheme for future new aircrafts?

They look pretty black to me.