Changhe Z-18

Z-18
PLANAF Changhe Z-18J AEW from the aircraft carrier Liaoning
Role	Utility helicopter
National origin	China
Manufacturer	Avicopter (Changhe Aircraft Industries Corporation)
First flight	2014 [1]
Introduction	2018
Status	In service, in production
Primary user	People's Liberation Army
Developed from	Avicopter AC313

The Changhe Z-18, also known as Z-8G, ^[1] is a medium-lift transport helicopter developed by Changhe Aircraft Industries Corporation (CAIC) to replace the Changhe/Harbin Z-8.

Design and development

The Z-18 is a development of the Avicopter AC313 and Changhe/Harbin Z-8, both of which are developments of the Aérospatiale SA 321 Super Frelon. ^{[2] [1]}

Notable changes include a redesigned lower fuselage similar to the AC313 which results in larger internal space. ^[3] It also reportedly makes greater use of titanium and composites in its rotor blades and rotor, ^[4] and replaces the Z-8's boat-shaped lower fuselage with a tail ramp for small vehicles. ^[1] It has a glass cockpit ^[2] and is powered by three WZ-6C turboshafts. ^{[2] [1]}

The Z-18's maximum takeoff weight (MTOW) is 13.8 tonnes. In late-2014, the only People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) ships able to operate the helicopter at MTOW were aircraft carriers and large amphibious assault ships. ^[4]

Operational history

The Z-18F anti-submarine warfare (ASW) version was undergoing testing by the end of August 2014. ^[4]

The army transport Z-18A first appeared in Chinese state media in December 2014, and reportedly underwent high-altitude testing on the Tibetan Plateau in January 2015. ^[2] The Z-18A reached an altitude of 9,000 m (29,528 ft) during testing. ^[1]

The Z-18A was in service with the People's Liberation Army Ground Force (PLAGF) by January 2018. ^[2]

Variants

PLA Navy Z-18 in Zhuhai Airshow 2024, with the visible folding tail

PLAGF Z-8L with its widened airframe

• Z-18: Naval transport variant with folding tail boom and rotor blades. Features a nosed mounted weather radar and FLIR/TV turret. ^[5]
• Z-18A / Z-8G: Transport variant with extended nose expected to replace Z-8A/B. Features a nose mounted terrain-following radar. ^[2] Multiple subvariants with differing equipment configurations such as: SATCOM fairing on tailboom, flare/chaff launchers + MAWS/RWR/LWR sensors on fuselage and sponsons, QJH001 machine gun on side door, ECM equipment on fuselage, retractable SAR radar replacing rear ramp etc.
  • Z-8L: Transport variant with wide-body fuselage and enlarged fuel sponsons, first spotted in January 2019. ^[6] The internal width of the load area has been increased from 1.8m to 2.4 m, making it larger than old Z-8 and SA321 variants. ^[7] Features a nose mounted terrain-following radar. Multiple subvariants with differing equipment configurations such as: SATCOM fairing on tailboom, flare launchers + LWR/RWR sensors on sponsons, RWR/MAWS sensors on front fuselage, roof mounted FLIR etc.
• Z-18F: ASW variant with chin-mounted surface search radar, dipping sonar, and may be equipped with up to four lightweight torpedoes and 32 sonobuoys. ^[4]
• Z-18J: Airborne early warning (AEW) variant, with a lowerable radar antenna in place of the ramp. The radar has a range of 320 km. ^{[8] [4]}

Operators

  People's Republic of China

• People's Liberation Army Ground Force (Z-18A) ^[2]
• People's Liberation Army Naval Air Force (Z-18, Z-18F and Z-18J)

Specifications (Z-18F)

Data from Military Today ^[9]

General characteristics

• Crew: 2 flight crew
• Capacity:
  
  • 27 ^[2] -30 troops ^[1] or
  • 15 stretchers or
  • small vehicles or 5 tonnes of cargo to a range of up to 1000 km. (Z-18A) ^[1]
• Length: 23.05 m (75 ft 7 in) (overall, rotors turning)
• Height: 7 m (23 ft 0 in)
• Empty weight: 7,000 kg (15,432 lb)
• Max takeoff weight: 13,800 kg (30,360 lb)
• Powerplant: 3 × WZ-6C turboshafts
• Main rotor diameter: 19 m (62 ft 4 in)
• Maximum speed: 336 km/h (209 mph, 181 kn)
• Service ceiling: 9,000 m (29,528 ft)

Armament

• Up to 4 Yu-7 ASW torpedoes or YJ-9 anti-ship missiles ^[10]
• Up to 32 sonobuoys

See also

Related development

• Aérospatiale Super Frelon/Harbin Z-8
• Avicopter AC313

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era

• AgustaWestland AW101
• Mil Mi-38
• NHIndustries NH90
• Sikorsky S-92

Related lists

• List of rotorcraft

References

1. China Introduces New Transport Helicopter. Aviation International News. 10 January 2018.
2. Fisher, Richard D Jr (9 January 2018). "CAIG Z-18 transport helicopter looks to have entered service with PLAGF". IHS Jane's 360. Xinjiang. Archived from the original on 2018-01-13. Retrieved 13 January 2018.
3. "Chinese Military Aviation: Helicopters III".
4. Andrew Tate (August 20, 2014), "China unveils ASW version of Z-18 helicopter", IHS Jane's 360, archived from the original on August 22, 2014
5. "Chinese Military Aviation: Helicopters III".
6. Tate, Andrew (21 January 2019). "Image emerges of Z-8G helicopter variant". Jane's 360. London. Archived from the original on 21 January 2019. Retrieved 21 January 2019.
7. Rupprecht, Andreas (21 August 2020). "Update: Images show wide-body variant of Z-8G helicopter undergoing load-carrying trials". Janes.
8. "Z-18 helicopter". www.globalsecurity.org. Retrieved 2025-01-08.
9. "Z-18 Medium Transport Helicopter" . Retrieved 17 April 2021.^{[ dead link ‍]}
10. "The world's ten best anti-submarine warfare (ASW) helicopters". Naval Technology. 2019-06-01. Retrieved 2020-08-15.