asif iqbal
Lieutenant General
Z9 good helicopter but poor range
Apparently a Z9E is under development
Apparently a Z9E is under development
PLAN Naval Helicopter & ASW Capability II
- Thread starter bd popeye
- Start date
Oh, I think now it is clear they are.
The K-600C is an AEW ircraft and depending on how light they can make it, they may be able to get it on the Liaoning or it sister.
But it would have to be light, meaning not s strong, powerful or heavy electronics and radars.
They will put heavier equipment on it, or another aircraft when they get catapult capable carriers.
PiSigma
"the engineer"
Don't think it's a normal naval version, but a ASW version. All the sensors seems to be smaller or weaker versions of the Y-8 ASW ones
Yes, it does look luke the ASW version, you can see what looks like a surface search radar in between the landing wheels and that black square could be the sonar
buoy dispenser.
I think it's a normal naval version and NOT an ASW version. That configuration is clearly not optimized for ASW. Where does it carry ASW torpedoes? Why are the large compartment doors on the sides not eliminated and replaced with a much smaller door like the many Sea Hawk ASW derivatives? This is most likely a general naval version. Or perhaps even an electronic warfare AEW or electronic reconnaissance version.
If you look at pictures of MH-60R, the hardpoints for torpedoes are not fixed but detachable.
Even the sonobuoy launchers on MH-60R are not present in every MH-60R, and doors are present.
On the other hand various other "fixed" features you'd expect on an ASW helicopter seem to be present, which you wouldn't really expect on a normal utility naval helicopter variant:
-EO ball (well this one is debatable, so utility naval helicopters have this as well)
-belly radome with possible side looking arrays
-square opening in belly consistent with dipping sonar location
Edit: that said it could also be a general naval transport/utility variant as well. There are features on this helicopter which could point to both.
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So, looking at it more closely I'm now tempted to agree that the helicopter we're seeing may be a general purpose naval utility helicopter like the MH-60S rather than an ASW helicopter like the MH-60R.
I do still think the belly mounted circle might be a radar that could be explained by using a modern fixed AESA, however much of the rest of the helicopter is a bit more consistent with what would be expected of a GP utility helicopter.
And the cheek mounted bumps are more likely to be floatation devices rather than conformal RF arrays; particularly as on the rear fuselage there are a similar pair of bumps.
I do still think the belly mounted circle might be a radar that could be explained by using a modern fixed AESA, however much of the rest of the helicopter is a bit more consistent with what would be expected of a GP utility helicopter.
And the cheek mounted bumps are more likely to be floatation devices rather than conformal RF arrays; particularly as on the rear fuselage there are a similar pair of bumps.
