Z-20 (all variants) thread

[Deino]

Two more - indeed low quality - images of the newly spotted alleged real Z-20F ASW helicopter variant.

(Images via 人民海军向前进 at lt.cjdby.net)

 

[PiSigma]

Two more - indeed low quality - images of the newly spotted alleged real Z-20F ASW helicopter variant.

(Images via 人民海军向前进 at lt.cjdby.net)

View attachment 55147 View attachment 55148

They are moving fast on these z20 variants. Having only seen production models basically a year ago, and now standard naval and asw models. This means they were working in parallel to develop multiple variants, which is atypical for engineering work.

Wonder how many other variants are available that we just don't know about yet.

 

[Deino]

...
Wonder how many other variants are available that we just don't know about yet.

That in fact is for me the most important conclusion from the parade: The PLAAF was able to (nearly) completely hide the WZ-8 and H-6N from us ... what else have they already in the making and even more WHERE?

 

[PiSigma]

That in fact is for me the most important conclusion from the parade: The PLAAF was able to (nearly) completely hide the WZ-8 and H-6N from us ... what else have they already in the making and even more WHERE?

I think different variants of existing platforms are fairly easy to hide, since satellite images will mostly look the same, only a closeup can show the differences.
For z20, it is brand new, not much previous operational experience to debug and optimize. So engineering working in parallel to build multiple variance is especially challenging. There is no base case to work off of, a do nothing case to compare. Their base case z20 would be a moving target when they started naval and asw models.

 

[ZeEa5KPul]

I think different variants of existing platforms are fairly easy to hide, since satellite images will mostly look the same, only a closeup can show the differences.
For z20, it is brand new, not much previous operational experience to debug and optimize. So engineering working in parallel to build multiple variance is especially challenging. There is no base case to work off of, a do nothing case to compare. Their base case z20 would be a moving target when they started naval and asw models.

I think that speaks to how serious the shortcoming the PLAN faced in its ASW capabilities was in the absence of the Z-20F. China simply had to eat the risk associated with that method of development, being methodical (or lackadaisical) just wasn't an option.

 

[Blitzo]

They are moving fast on these z20 variants. Having only seen production models basically a year ago, and now standard naval and asw models. This means they were working in parallel to develop multiple variants, which is atypical for engineering work.

Assuming the naval utility and naval ASW variants both first flew within the last year or so, that level of developing new variants isn't too out of the ordinary.

The original SH-60 seahawk first flew in 1979, 5 years after the first flight of the UH-60A in 1974 and the same year as UH-60A was introduced in 1979.

For the baseline army utility Z-20, it first flew in late 2013, and we had indications it entered service sometime last year in 2018 (about 5 years later). It was also about late 2018 that we had rumours of a naval Z-20 variant making its first flight as well (similarly about 5 years later).

 

[asif iqbal]

Ok let’s see two units on the new Type 055

 

[PiSigma]

Ok let’s see two units on the new Type 055

We will need to wait a long time for that. The demand for helicopters is great, and production is slow.

Still got those 71 and 75 to fill up.

 

[Tam]

Interesting. That truly looks like a radar on the chin this time. But unlike other ASW helicopters, its not flat along the belly, but angled.

 

[xyqq]

Interesting. That truly looks like a radar on the chin this time. But unlike other ASW helicopters, its not flat along the belly, but angled.

The belly looks flat, such as from the following angle.