CAIC Z-10 attack helicopters attached to the People's Liberation Army (PLA) Army recently conducted a series of sea-crossing assault drills on a Navy warship, Liu Xuanzun reports on Global Times. The combination of Army helicopters and Navy warships can significantly boost the PLA's amphibious, vertical landing capability and will play a vital role in potential military operations on the island of Taiwan, military analysts said on August 5.

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PLA's WZ-10 attack helicopter (Picture source: Wikipedia)

An aviation brigade under the 73rd Group Army and a Navy vessel squadron recently held an exercise on cross-service integration between helicopters and warships, in which Army helicopters including the Z-10, Z-9 and Mi-171 landed on a Navy warship and conducted coordinated command and sea-crossing assault drills in a southern sea area off East China's Fujian Province, China Central Television (CCTV) reported on August 4.

During the drills, the Army helicopters took off from a land base, approached the sea area where the Navy's Type 071 amphibious landing ship was located, and landed on the flight deck of the warship, the report said. After soldiers boarded the aircraft, transport helicopters took off again and headed toward the mission area at low altitude under the cover of attack helicopters. On arriving at the designated areas, the soldiers aboard the helicopters rappelled down the helicopters and initiated the attack, CCTV reported.

At least one Z-10 attack helicopter (also called WZ-10, with WZ standing for "armed helicopter") used in the drills is the latest, upgraded variant with upward-facing exhaust openings, which are expected to reduce the chopper's infrared signals and make it harder to target, CCTV's military program Weihutang pointed out.

The Navy Aviation Force does not have attack helicopters like the Z-10, and the strong fire support from this kind of helicopter will be vital in suppressing hostile ground forces, the expert said.