The Chinese continue to upgrade their military to new levels. This is their new attack helicopter, the Z-19, a two-seater painted in badass black that looks a lot like the Eurocopter Dauphin.
That’s because it’s based on the Eurocopter Dauphin. Like with previous designs, the Chinese licensed the designs from the manufacturer — for their previous helicopter, the Z-9 — and they are now spitting their own modified helicopters.
Except that, instead of being the friendly helicopter that is used by people like the US Coast Guard, this is fully armed and ready to attack anything that moves. [China defence Blog via Defense Tech]
Boomzzilla
Tuesday, February 7, 2012 at 10:47 AMSo there new gunship is based of the westpac surf rescue chopper?
Graeme
Tuesday, February 7, 2012 at 1:10 PMNo, it’s the other way around. You get into trouble in the surf and you’ll be blown out of the water with some explosive rounds. Why do you think there’s been more shark sightings? Bait.
JonBOY
Tuesday, February 7, 2012 at 10:54 AMI guess when you cannot get your hands on one to reverse engineer it one if forced to licence the design.
Robert
Tuesday, February 7, 2012 at 11:12 AMAnyone else noticed that it looks like the rotor will slice the tail wing off?
Leo
Tuesday, February 7, 2012 at 1:19 PMIt’s an optical effect commonly known as “perspective”.
Ozoneocean
Tuesday, February 7, 2012 at 11:51 AMIt has the tail of the Dauphin, but it actually looks far more like the Eurocopter Tiger, which is a light attack heli exactly like this.
Leo
Tuesday, February 7, 2012 at 1:40 PMApart from the tandem crew configuration, which is common in attack helicopters, there’s not really much similarity between this and the Tiger.
Foles
Tuesday, February 7, 2012 at 2:04 PMOne major difference! The French built Tiger will have rivets that will keep it together longer than twenty hours!
Yoda
Tuesday, February 7, 2012 at 2:06 PMThis model comes with full leather
Dave
Tuesday, February 7, 2012 at 5:49 PMmade of daogs you ate for lunch in the chinese army caff
Osiris Fox
Tuesday, February 7, 2012 at 2:13 PMAh yes. China continues to build up its “defensive” capabilities because of all the times they’ve been attached in the last couple of decades on home soil. Hmm, me thinks this is in the “a good defense is a good offence” school of thought, not that different from the American “defensive” preemptive strike methodologies.
Yeah, we’re all fuu… screwed. A showdown between China and the USA, is inevitable sadly.
Osiris Fox
Tuesday, February 7, 2012 at 2:14 PM*attacked
Steve
Tuesday, February 7, 2012 at 6:08 PMIt’s pretty much standard these days to use ‘defence’ as a euphemism for ‘military’, regardless of whether that spending is used to protect home soil or not. The US has engaged in foreign wars well before its first mainland attack (9/11) in history (Pearl Harbour was before Hawaii gained statehood).
martyfmelb
Tuesday, February 7, 2012 at 7:06 PMYou *are* aware that this is provocative anti-China propaganda, right? Calm down before you wake up in a Shenzhen bomb shelter surrounded by maimed and bloody randoms wondering why you signed up for this shit.
Ben
Tuesday, February 7, 2012 at 4:51 PMtail rotor they got from a wreckers in Pakistan
Tom
Tuesday, February 7, 2012 at 11:14 PMI hope it is built better than their cars…
Conbobulate
Wednesday, February 8, 2012 at 5:18 PMI hope they build better than they photoshop