The recent earthquake in Dingri County, Tibet, has prompted discussion regarding the absence of the Chinese-made Z-20 helicopter in relief efforts, according to Singapore Chinese daily Lianhe Zaobao. While the Z-20 is promoted as a multi-functional helicopter designed for high-altitude environments like the Tibetan Plateau, it has not been reported in official Chinese media coverage of the disaster response. This absence is particularly notable given the Chinese military’s emphasis on promoting domestically produced equipment.
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N509FZ, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) has historically experienced a shortage of helicopters suitable for high-altitude operations. In the 1980s, China purchased Black Hawk helicopters from the United States. After 1989, it became difficult to acquire US-made equipment, leading to the purchase of approximately 300 Mi-171 helicopters from Russia. Notably, some of these orders were placed as recently as 2019, even after the Z-20 had entered mass production.
The Z-20 was specifically developed to address the challenges of operating in high-altitude areas. It first flew in 2013 and was publicly displayed at the 70th-anniversary National Day parade in 2019. Since 2020, reports of the Z-20 undergoing trials in high-altitude regions have gained attention. The Z-20 has been deployed alongside the older Mi-171 in the Tibet Military Region, participating in low-altitude flight training. This suggests that the two models are used in a mixed configuration. The introduction of the Z-20 to the Tibetan plateau is said to have significantly enhanced the PLA’s ability to deploy troops in the region.
Several reasons may explain the absence of the Z-20 from the earthquake relief efforts, according to Lianhe Zaobao:
An interviewed scholar suggests that the Z-20’s relatively recent introduction means that it may not be as reliable or mature in its operations as the Mi-171. The Z-20 may still be in a phase of testing and training, and the military may be opting for more established models for critical operations. It is also suggested that the Z-20 may not have the desired load capacity for high-altitude flights. Dingri County has an average altitude of approximately 4,300 metres, presenting a challenge for the Z-20 in terms of lifting capacity and overall performance. Additionally, the Mi-171 has a larger lifting capacity, approximately 3 tons heavier than the Z-20, with a more spacious interior, making it more suitable for transport and rescue missions. Furthermore, it is possible the Z-20 is not yet available in sufficient numbers to be widely deployed for relief efforts.
The absence of the Z-20 in the earthquake relief efforts is noteworthy because it was expected to be a good opportunity to showcase the capabilities of the domestically produced helicopter, which has been specifically designed for high altitude operations. The fact that the PLA used the Mi-171 in relief efforts suggests that the Z-20 may still be facing some technical issues or is not yet fully ready for such critical operations. The military appears to be choosing the more reliable Mi-171 over the newer Z-20.
While the Z-20 is considered a significant advancement in China’s domestic helicopter program, its absence from the Dingri County earthquake relief efforts highlights the ongoing challenges in deploying advanced military equipment in demanding environments, according to Lianhe Zaobao. The reasons for this absence are likely a combination of factors including the relative immaturity of the Z-20, potential performance issues at high altitudes, payload capacity and the number of aircraft available for operations.
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