The Pakistan Army Aviation will get the first Chinese Z-10ME thought to be a US Apache AH-46 Derivative, the worse, a copycat. This ME variant is an upgrade of the ME variant, not the Z-10MP.
Chinese Aircraft for Pakistan
By 2023, the Chinese Z-10 helicopters will begin to be delivered to Pakistan Army Aviation. The news was confirmed by a source in the Pakistani Ministry of Defense, reported Bulgaria Military.
Curiously, it isn't the Pakistani Air Force that will purchase the Chinese Z-10ME, but the Army. It has primarily a production effect, as support through the military is conducted much more quickly.
If the Chinese aircraft is a US Apache AH-46 derivative, then it's a win-win for less.
China got the tender by accident when the Pakistan Army wanted to buy 30 model T129 ATAK from Turkey, but the US administration sanctioned them for buying Russian S-400 air defense batteries. Due to sanctions by the US, engines were not supplied and were unavailable for the Turkish attack helicopters.
The Philippines Purchases the T129 ATAK
The United States authorized Turkey to ship the same helicopter model sold to Manila in late 2021, just two months before Pakistan rejected the purchase from Turkey. The Philippines has bought six helicopters, with the first two already arriving at Clark Air Base in March 2022, noted Defense News.
American initiatives are condemned as possessing a double standard by so many Pakistani analysts and journalists. The main complaints were that the political decision was much more oriented towards Pakistan than Turkey.
One of the reasons the Philippines came to its aid first was that the CAATSA sanction law was not in effect, which caught Ankara off guard. So, Turkey was free to complete the transaction with Manila, even the engine.
Ankara Sources Ukrainian-Made Engines to Bypass Sanctions
On June 2, 2021, Kyiv and Ankara reached a deal to provide 14 engines for the Turkish helicopters meant for the Turkish Army. But the speculation says Turkey can finish the deal while US influence in the sale is still prevented.
Even with the speculation that if the engine deal falls through, it will end with the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Another reason why it failed is that China has a stake in Motor Sich, via state-owned entities.
Beijing could stop the deal by not allowing the supply of engines, and the Z-10 was offered to Pakistan. The most recent model, which dates back to the 1990s, is the ME variation. Beijing developed the helicopter entirely domestically.
How the Chinese Apache came to needs to be clarified. It could be engineers from Kamov that laid the basis for the design and the Eurocopter and Agusta firms as input. With the procurement of the Chinese Apache, Pakistan obtains a significant performance upgrade well over the original version.
Novel active and passive defenses, a radar alert transmitter, and incoming missile notifications are equipped. Its infrared fingerprint is substantially reduced. The pipe nozzle is elevated upwards with a WZ-9G 1200 kW engine. This improved variant is newer and substantially more robust than its predecessor. More extras are inlet filtering, more ammo holders, improved armor, and IR jammers. IFF/fire control radar.
Pakistan gets the Chinese Z-10ME, a US Apache AH-46 derivative in the near future, the earliest by 2023.
