Comparison: Chinese Z10 vs Z10ME (export variant) vs American AH-64 Apache attack helicopter;

A full fact based comparison between — Chinese Z 10 vs. Z10ME (Z10's export variant), vs. American AH-64 Apache Attack Helicopters.

It includes — engines, offensive and defensive capabilities, manufacturing and more details of each.

Z10 Attack Helicopter

Z 10 Helicopter is manufactured by Changhe Aircraft Industries Corporation (CAIC).

It is a medium-weight, twin-turboshaft attack helicopter.

• Category: Attack helicopter, primarily designed for armour missions and close air support;

• It entered service in China for PLA ground force in 2009.

• It took its first flight on April, 29, 2003.

Engines:

• Its initial model had Engines PT6C-76C turboshaft engines (each producing ~1,250 kW / ~1,680 shp), from foreign companies.

Initial Engine Developer: Pratt and Whiteney Canada and Eurocopter.

Initial Production begin in 2009 with WZ-9 turboshaft engine, based on designs by AVIC’s 602nd Design Institute and the Russian Kamov Bureau.

• Engine: Upgraded two WZ-9C turboshaft Producing around 1,200 kW;

• Speed: ~70–300 km/h; cruise ~230 km/h.

• Defence capabilities: Composite armour for cockpit & critical areas and bulletproof canopy (7.62 mm), fly-by-wire control, infrared suppression (upward-facing exhaust), intakes with sand filters on ME version.

• Range: ~800km (500mi.)

• 4 hardpoints (stub-wing pylons), capable of carrying 1,500 kg (3,307 lb) of mixed weaponry.

• Rate of Climb: ~10–12 m/s.

• Countermeasures: RWR, MAWS, chaff/flare dispensers, laser warning receivers, ECM and DIRCM on newer/export models.

• It also has many advanced capabilities for pilots including, night-vision, multifunction displays (MFDs), helmet-mounted sight, HUD, HOTAS.

• Missiles: It can fire Chinese, HJ-8/9 (ATGMs), Up to 16 HJ-10/KD-10 anti-tank missiles.

TY-90, PL-5/7/9 air-to-air missiles (up to 16.) CM-502 infrared-guided anti-tank missile, compatible with the Z-10ME attack helicopter.

• Gun: Chin-mounted 23 mm or 30 mm autocannon.

• Rockets: 57 mm, 70 mm, and 90 mm rockets, (FS70, FS90) unguided rocket pods according to various reports.

• Cost: $17 to $25 million per unit.

EW: Z10 avionics helmet mounted sights, flur thermal imaging, and laser rangefinders.

Export: Pakistan received its 1st delivery of Z10ME, while Myanmar, Laos and Cambodia are also potential buyers.

Z10ME Attack Helicopter

The Chinese Z10's export variant is called Z10ME. Since Z10ME is an export variant, most of its capabilities remains identical, it has a few changes and upgrades done to it;

• Payload: Z-10ME can carry up to ~1.5 t weapons (or ~3 t according to one source), including rockets, bombs, missiles, drones.

• Countermeasures: RWR, MAWS, chaff/flare dispensers, laser warning receivers, ECM and DIRCM on newer/export models.

• Infrared suppression (upward-facing exhaust), intakes with sand filters on Z 10ME version.

• Engine: Z-10ME has WZ-9G/WZ-16 (~1,200–1,500 hp/kW.) according to reports.

• It also has enhanced armour, sand/dust filters, upward-facing exhausts for IR signature reduction.

• Electronic Warfare: millimeter-wave radar above rotor, modern EW suite, missile warning systems.

AH 64 Apache

The Apache ah 64 is an American Attack helicopter, which was developed in April 1986. It is still in production today with over 2,000 units built so far.

• Category: It is a twin-engine multi-roll helicopter optimized for anti-tank, air-to-air combat and close air support;

• Developer: AH-64 Apache is developed by hughes Helicopters.

• First Flight: It took its first flight on September, 30, 1975. It entered service in 1976.

• Length: 17.73 meters (48 ft.) Fuselage length ~15.1 m.

• Maximum take-off weight: ~10,432kg (23,000 lb.)

• Engine: Two GE T700-GE-701 turboshafts (~1,260 kW each.) Later variants upgraded to T700-GE-701C with up to ~1,890 shp.

It provides better lift and high altitude performance;

• Speed Maximum: ~293 km/h (~158 kn), it never exceed ~365 km/h.

• Range: ~480 km (~300mi.)

• Hardpoints: 4 main pylon stations on the stub wings, and additional wing tips stations.

It supports overall a heavier payload and more diverse armament in comparison to Z10, which is a lighter helicopter overall;

• Missiles: It can fire, AGM-114 Hellfire missiles, air-to-air Stingers, Sidewinder, and advanced JAGM missiles (on newer variants.)

• Rockets: 70 mm Hydra APKWS rockets.

• Gun: 30 mm M230 Chain Gun—typically holds ~1,200 rounds; controlled via helmet-mounted sight or targeting systems

• Avionics & Targeting: Equipped with TADS/PNVS (modernized as Apache Arrowhead) for forward-looking infrared (FLIR), TV imaging, optical zoom, auto-target tracking, and pilotage, enabling effective night operations and target acquisition.

Apache avionics, Longbow fire control radar tracks 250 plus targets. Sensor fusion, thermal and NV optics, UAV integration and real-time battlefield networking.

AH-64D/E (Longbow variants) include the AN/APG-78 Longbow millimeter-wave radar atop the rotor for target detection and engagement, even behind terrain cover.

• Export: India, UK, Egypt, Israel. India has its export variant called AH-64E, a total number of 22 helicopters;

• Cost: $35 to $60 million per unit.

Chinese Z10 vs Apache AH-64 Comparison

The American Apache AH-64 is a battle tasted and well-developed attack helicopter, with decades of flying and real world experience and data.

It has bigger size, power, armament options as well as modern defence equipments, whereas the Z10 is more lightweight, build to suit specific environment, with less development history and experience.

The Z10ME also serves a similar purpose and almost aligns with Z10 in major areas, with some upgrades like upward-facing exhaust, enhanced armour, sand/dust filters etc.

The Z 10 is a cheaper attack helicopter which provides an alternative option for many developing countries.

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