Z-8/Z-18 CHINA'S OWN 'SUPER HORNET

摘要

The PLA Army Aviation's Z-8 is an important but little-known helicopter type that evolved from a license-manufactured French design. Long hampered by poor build quality and lack of performance, it's now one of the service's most modern and capable medium transport helicopters. FOR MANY YEARS the largest helicopter in People's Liberation Army (PLA) service, the Z-8 was designed by the No 602 Institute/Changhe Aircraft Industrial Corporation (CHAIC) as a derivative of the French SA321 Ja Super Frelon (meaning 'Super Hornet'), 13 of which were acquired by Beijing in the late 1970s.