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.

Max speed

300 km/h

Range

800 km

Payload

1,500 kg

💲 Unit cost not publicly disclosed

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

29th pct in class
Cruise speed Sustained economical speed. Determines transit time to station.: 270 km/h

71th pct in class
Range Maximum distance: ferry range for aircraft, operational range for vehicles, maximum engagement distance for missiles. Higher means more standoff or persistence.: 800 km

71th pct in class
Service ceiling Maximum operating altitude. Higher gives energy advantage and sensor horizon.: 6,400 m

71th pct in class
Rate of climb How fast the aircraft gains altitude. Higher means better energy recovery in combat.: 11 m/s

29th pct in class

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

0th pct in class
Weapons payload Maximum ordnance weight the platform can carry. Higher means more strike capacity per sortie.: 1,500 kg

29th pct in class

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

0th pct in class
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

57th pct in class
Operator countries Number of countries operating the system. More operators means broader support ecosystem.: 2

14th pct in class

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.

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 attack 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.