During the Zhuhai Air Show 2024, China unveiled a new variant of its medium general-purpose helicopter, the Z-20. The aircraft is already operational in the PLAN, the People’s Liberation Army Navy, but in other roles.
The Harbin Z-20J is considered a decisive step towards a full-fledged anti-submarine helicopter that would have capabilities similar to those of the Sikorsky SH-60, currently the standard helicopter of the US Navy.
This latest variant is called the Z-20F, but the Z-20J really looks like a naval general-purpose helicopter, since it does not have actual anti-submarine capabilities, using a radar in the nose and a FLIR underneath it.
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Apparently, the helicopter would perform tactical transport of marines, maritime reconnaissance and search and rescue (SAR), especially in Chinese naval air operations.
Oddly enough, while the PLAN has deployed numerous vessels, including advanced escorts and aircraft carriers, to the waters of the China Sea, the protection of these vessels appears to have been poorly provided for.
Given China’s rapid advancement in military aviation, helicopters such as the Z-20F should already be in service, which shows that the country is struggling in some areas or is delegating all its attention to certain sectors.
Defense expert Collin Koh says that the Z-8 is too heavy for China’s new escort ships, while the Z-9 is too light to operate on the flight decks of newer Chinese ships. “So the Z-20 is the answer.”
