Escorted by two Z-10 attack helicopters, a Z-20 utility helicopter in the colors of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Air Force arrives in Hong Kong on August 29, 2022 as a part of the 25th troop rotation of the PLA Hong Kong Garrison. Photo: Screenshot from China Central Television

 
China’s domestically developed Z-20 utility helicopter has been confirmed in service with the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Air Force and as a part of the PLA Hong Kong Garrison, marking its wide-spread deployment by the Chinese armed forces including the PLA Army, Navy, Air Force and the People’s Armed Police (PAP), with analysts expecting the chopper to be mass produced eventually by thousands.

The PLA Hong Kong Garrison on Monday conducted its 25th troop rotation, which involved the Army’s troops, the Navy’s vessels and the Air Force’s helicopters, according to a press release by the PLA Hong Kong Garrison and a video clip attached to it.

The video clip shows that a Z-20 utility helicopter and two Z-10 attack helicopters arrived in Hong Kong as a part of the troop rotation.

This is the first official confirmation that the Z-20 has entered service with the PLA Air Force, as well as the first official confirmation that the Z-20 has become a part of the PLA Hong Kong Garrison, observers said.

Before this, the Z-20 has been commissioned in the PLA Army and Navy as well as the PAP, according to media reports.

Unlike the Army and the PAP versions which are painted in dark green and blackish green respectively, the Air Force version of the Z-20 is painted in grayish white similar to the Navy version, but lacks characteristics to make it vessel-based, observers said.

The Z-20 was designed to be a utility helicopter with wide applications for missions including tactical transport, assault, patrol, rescue and anti-submarine warfare, and it can have many variants to serve different needs, Wang Ya'nan, chief editor of Aerospace Knowledge magazine, told the Global Times.

It could become the Chinese equivalent to the US’ Black Hawk helicopter, and its mass production could lead to about 2,000 to 3,000 units eventually be built, Wang said.

Observers expect that the Z-20 could also see export deals with other countries in addition to domestic use.

The Z-10 attack helicopter’s commissioning with the PLA Hong Kong Garrison was also only confirmed not long ago.

Fu Qianshao, a Chinese military aviation expert, told the Global Times that the Z-10 attack helicopters can provide escorts to transport and utility helicopters like the Z-8 and the Z-20.

The new helicopters will contribute to the garrison's capabilities to safeguard Hong Kong, Fu said.