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China AVIC (Aviation Industry Corporation of China)
Z-10
China's first indigenous dedicated attack helicopter, developed by CAIC (part of AVIC) as a tandem-seat, dual-engine gunship for the People's Liberation Army Ground Force. It is designed primarily for anti-armor and battlefield interdiction roles alongside the lighter Z-19 scout helicopter.
In service since 2012 · 2 operator countries
Compiled from public sources ·primary reference ↗ ·last verified 2026-07-01
300
km/h
800
km range
6,400
m ceiling
1,500
kg payload
Pricing: Unit cost not publicly disclosed
Procurement snapshot
Availability & export
Chinese state channel
State export agencies (NORINCO/CATIC); limited availability to Western-aligned states.
Channel: State export agency
Fielded & proven
Limited · 2 operators
In service since 2012. Status: active · ~200 built.
Lifecycle cost (est.)
No public unit price to model from.
Interoperability
No standardised NATO calibre / datalink detected in public specs.
Derived guidance from public data — export regime by country of origin, lifecycle from the GAO ~30% acquisition rule. Verify eligibility, pricing and offsets with the manufacturer and your acquisition authority.
Full specifications
Performance
Speed, range, altitude and engagement capability.
- Max speed
Maximum level speed. For aircraft this is at optimal altitude; for ground vehicles, top road speed. Higher means faster response and better kinematic performance.
- 300 km/h Stronger than 55% of helicopters
- Cruise speed
Sustained economical speed. Determines transit time to station.
- 270 km/h Stronger than 80% of helicopters
- Range
Maximum distance: ferry range for aircraft, operational range for vehicles, maximum engagement distance for missiles. Higher means more standoff or persistence.
- 800 km Stronger than 66% of helicopters
- Service ceiling
Maximum operating altitude. Higher gives energy advantage and sensor horizon.
- 6,400 m Top 8% of helicopters
- Rate of climb
How fast the aircraft gains altitude. Higher means better energy recovery in combat.
- 11 m/s Stronger than 43% of helicopters
Firepower
Armament, payload and guidance.
- Main armament
Primary weapon: main gun, cannon or missile type.
- 30 mm chin-mounted cannon
- Hardpoints
External stations for weapons and pods. More means bigger and more flexible loadouts.
- 4 Stronger than 41% of helicopters
- Weapons payload
Maximum ordnance weight the platform can carry. Higher means more strike capacity per sortie.
- 1,500 kg Stronger than 58% of helicopters
Protection
Armor, countermeasures and survivability.
- Armor
Armor technology: composite, modular, ERA-fitted, uranium-ceramic. Exact compositions are classified.
- Armored cockpit tub for crew protection
- Countermeasures
Self-protection: chaff, flares, DIRCM, towed decoys, smoke dischargers, jammers.
- radar/laser warning receivers, chaff, flares
Physical
Dimensions, weight and crew.
- Length
Overall length including gun/probe where applicable.
- 14.15 m
- Height
Overall height. Lower profile is harder to spot and hit for ground vehicles.
- 3.85 m
- Empty weight
Weight without fuel, ammunition or crew.
- 5,540 kg
- Combat weight
Fully loaded weight. Lighter eases transport and bridging limits; heavier often means more armor.
- 7,000 kg
- Crew
Personnel required to operate. Fewer reduces exposure; autoloaders trade a loader for mechanical complexity.
- 2
Propulsion
Engine, power and fuel.
- Engine
Powerplant model and type.
- 2x WZ-9 turboshaft, 1000-1300 hp each (estimated)
- Engines
Number of engines. Twin-engine gives redundancy at higher cost.
- 2
- Engine power
Engine output power. Higher moves more weight faster.
- 1,300 hp Stronger than 26% of helicopters
- Propulsion type
Turbofan, turboshaft, diesel, gas turbine, solid-fuel rocket, ramjet…
- Turboshaft
Sensors & avionics
Radar, sensor suite and datalinks.
- Sensors
IRST, EO/IR turrets, laser designators, sniper pods, thermal sights.
- mast-mounted electro-optical/infrared sighting system, helmet-mounted display
- Thermal imaging
Thermal sights for night and obscured-visibility operations.
- Yes
Program
Cost, production scale and operators.
- Units built
Total production run. Higher means proven manufacturing, mature logistics and spares availability.
- 200 Stronger than 53% of helicopters
- Operator countries
Number of countries operating the system. More operators means broader support ecosystem.
- 2 Stronger than 38% of helicopters
Specifications compiled from public AVIC (Aviation Industry Corporation of China) and reference sources ↗. Published defense figures are approximations — treat comparisons as directional. Last verified 2026-07-01.
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Boeing AH-64E Apache Guardian Frequently asked questions
What is the top speed of the AVIC (Aviation Industry Corporation of China) Z-10? +
The AVIC (Aviation Industry Corporation of China) Z-10 has a maximum speed of 300 km/h.
What is the range of the AVIC (Aviation Industry Corporation of China) Z-10? +
The AVIC (Aviation Industry Corporation of China) Z-10 has a maximum range of 800 km.
What is the weapons payload of the AVIC (Aviation Industry Corporation of China) Z-10? +
The AVIC (Aviation Industry Corporation of China) Z-10 can carry up to 1,500 kg of weapons payload.
How much does the AVIC (Aviation Industry Corporation of China) Z-10 weigh? +
The AVIC (Aviation Industry Corporation of China) Z-10 has a combat weight of 7,000 kg.
How many crew does the AVIC (Aviation Industry Corporation of China) Z-10 require? +
The AVIC (Aviation Industry Corporation of China) Z-10 requires a crew of 2.
What is the main armament of the AVIC (Aviation Industry Corporation of China) Z-10? +
The AVIC (Aviation Industry Corporation of China) Z-10's primary weapon is the 30 mm chin-mounted cannon.
What engine does the AVIC (Aviation Industry Corporation of China) Z-10 use? +
The AVIC (Aviation Industry Corporation of China) Z-10 is powered by the 2x WZ-9 turboshaft, 1000-1300 hp each (estimated).
What is the AVIC (Aviation Industry Corporation of China) Z-10 used for? +
The AVIC (Aviation Industry Corporation of China) Z-10 is a helicopter typically used for close air support, anti armor.
How many countries operate the AVIC (Aviation Industry Corporation of China) Z-10? +
The AVIC (Aviation Industry Corporation of China) Z-10 is operated by 2 countries.
How much does the AVIC (Aviation Industry Corporation of China) Z-10 cost? +
AVIC (Aviation Industry Corporation of China) Z-10: Unit cost not publicly disclosed. Defense program costs are rarely fully public and vary by contract and configuration.
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