Z-10ME Medium Gunships Attack Helicopter for Pakistan Army

Chinese sources are claiming that Pakistan army will receive unknown quantity of Z-10ME medium attack helicopters in 2023 to replace its aging fleet of AH-1F/S cobra helicopters.

Pakistani Pakistan Army Aviation Corps (PAAC) previously tried to purchase 30 Turkish T129 ATAK attach helicopters for US$1.5 billion to replace its ageing fleet of Bell AH-1F Cobra gunships however United States Department of Defense (DoD) didn't allowed export of LHTEC T800-4A engines required for T-129. Since last year multiple sources from Pakistan and China has claimed that Pakistani military is in talks with China for purchase of improved Z-10ME version to meet its needs. 

 

The Z-10ME offers improvement over original version in multiple fields  including lower infrared signature due to raising the engine exhaust nozzle upwards, powerful engine offering better performance and more load ammunition capacity, inlet filtering, additional armor panels for better protection, infrared jamming, and new top-mounted fire control radar is also under development. 

Chinese Self-Propelled Anti-Aircraft Gun (SPAAG) in Action

 Chinese People liberation Army Air Defense uses different type of Self-Propelled Anti-Aircraft Gun (SPAAG) including Gun-Missile Systems which feature Multi-barrel 25 / 30 /35 mm guns and 4-8 short-range air defense missiles.

Combination of short range surface to air missiles and guns with high rate of fire can effectively counter helicopters, cruise missiles, loitering munitions and tactical drones.

Countries are using  cheap drones and loitering munitions in latest conflicts which poses a new challenge for convention air defense systems. Self-Propelled Anti-Aircraft Gun (SPAAG) is a hard kill solution which is already available and can be used effectively if employed in networked environment with early warning data.