| Z-19 Black Whirlwind | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Harbin Z-19 making a low-level pass at Zhuhai Airshow 2012 | |
| General information | |
| Type | Reconnaissance andattack helicopter |
| Manufacturer | Harbin Aircraft Manufacturing Corporation |
| Status | In service[1] |
| Primary user | People's Liberation Army Air Force |
| Number built | 186+[2] |
| History | |
| Manufactured | 2011-Present |
| Introduction date | 2012 |
| First flight | 2011 |
| Developed from | Harbin Z-9W |
TheHarbin Z-19 is a Chinese lightreconnaissance/attack helicopter developed byHarbin Aircraft Manufacturing Corporation (HAMC) for thePeople's Liberation ArmyAir Force and theGround Force Army Aviation.[3] It is a specialized combat variant of theHarbin Z-9, which is a license-built version of theEurocopter Dauphin.[4]
The Z-19 is an upgradedtandem seat version of theHarbin Z-9W (similar to the development of theBell AH-1 Cobra from theUH-1), using mechanical components derived from theEurocopter AS365 Dauphin series, as the Z-9 series are license-built versions of the Dauphin helicopters.[4]
The Z-19 features afenestron tail, reducing the noise level and therefore allowing it to achieve some level of acoustic stealthiness. The exhausts have also been designed to reduce the infrared signature.[5] The helicopter is equipped with a millimeter-wave fire-control radar on top of its four-blade rotor.[6] Unlike most other attack helicopters, it lacks a nose-mounted machine gun or autocannon.
The Z-19 also features armor plating, crash-resistant seats, and a turret withFLIR, TV, and laser rangefinder.[5] It is also equipped with advancedhelmet mounted sight (HMS),[7] which looks different from that of theCAIC Z-10.
The general designer of the Z-19 was Wu Ximing (吴希明) of the 602nd Research Institute, one of the Chinese top scientists involved in the863 Program, after graduating fromNanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics in 1984. Wu had earlier participated in the designs of the armed version of the transport helicoptersZ-8A,Z-11 andZ-9. He also participated in the development and flight testing of another Chinese attack helicopter, theCAIC Z-10. At the 9th Zhuhai Airshow held in November 2012,Aviation Industry Corporation of China formally announced the official names of the Z-10 and Z-19 at a televised news release conference, with both attack helicopters named after fictional characters in theWater Margin, one of theFour Great Classical Novels ofChinese literature. Z-10 is named asFierce Thunderbolt (Pili Huo, 霹雳火), the nickname ofQin Ming, while Z-19 is named asBlack Whirlwind (Hei Xuanfeng, 黑旋风), the nickname ofLi Kui.[8][9]
Data from[citation needed]
General characteristics
Performance
Armament
Avionics
Related development
Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era
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