Chinese rotary-wing plans raise PLA Army Aviation forces profile

摘要

Revelations about China's advanced rotary-wing research programmes potentially point to the Army Aviation forces of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) becoming one of the world's most technically advanced combat units. A 28 August article on the website of the China Helicopter Research Institute (CHRDI) of the Aviation Industries of China (AVIC) consortium offered new details on three programmes currently in development. The Blue Whale is a four-engine quad tilt-rotor concept with a payload of 20 tonnes, a speed of 538 km/h, a ferry range of 8,016 km and a combat radius of 815 km. It will be a vertical/ short take-off and landing (V/ STOL)-capable platform with redundant power distribution in the event of engine failure, composite material construction, advanced fly-by-light control systems, and 'intelligent' avionics that reduce pilot workload.