New | China’s new ‘Black Hawk’ helicopter takes maiden flight
Home-made utility helicopter successfully completes test flight, and analysts believe it has an edge over American counterpart in high-altitude regions
A Chinese-made, People's Liberation Army helicopter successfully made its first flight on Monday, "filling a blank" in the military's arsenal, according to analysts.
Dubbed by amateurs as "Z-20", a codename that is in line with the naming pattern of previous military helicopter models, the aircraft’s exterior is similar to the US-made Sikorsky UH-60, better known as the “Black Hawk”.
It fills a blank for the Chinese military force
The PLA utility helicopter is believed to have a capacity of 10 tonnes, putting it between the categories of agile attack helicopters and heavy transportation helicopters, military commentator Du Wenlong said during the CCTV news programme.