Harbin Z-9

The Harbin Z-9 (NATO reporting name "Haitun", Chinese: 海豚 for Dolphin) is a Chinese military utility helicopter. It is a licensed variant of the French Eurocopter AS365 Dauphin II, and is manufactured by Harbin Aircraft Manufacturing Corporation.

Variants

 * Z-9: License-produced variant of the French AS365N1 Dauphin II.
 * Z-9A: Kit-built variant of the AS365N2.
 * Z-9A-100: Prototypes for domestic market versions with WZ8A engines. First flight January 16th 1992, approved December 30th 1992.
 * Z-9B: Initial version based on Z-9A-100. Multirole.
 * Z-9C: License-produced variant of the Eurocopter AS565 Panther for the PLA Naval Air Force.
 * Z-9EC: ASW variant produced for the Pakistan Naval Air Arm. Configured with pulse-compression radar, low frequency dipping sonar, radar warning receiver and doppler navigation system, it is also armed with torpedoes for use aboard the Pakistan Navy's Zulfiquar-class frigates.
 * Z-9EH: Transport, emergency and/or passenger variant.
 * Z-9W: Armed version with optional pylon-mounted armament, gyro stabilization and roof-mounted optical sight. Export designation Z-9G, roof-mounted sight optional. First flown in 1987, with the first weapons tests in 1989.
 * Z-9WA: A newer night-capable version has been built with nose-mounted FLIR. July 2011, Xinhua News Agency released a photo of Z-9WA firing AKD10 air-to-ground missile. Incorporates a domestic Chinese helmet mounted sight that is compatible with anti-tank missiles such as HJ-8 /9/ 10, as well as light anti-ship missiles such as C-701/703 and TL-1/ 10 when they are used as air-to-surface missiles, air-to-air missiles such as TY-90 and other MANPAD missiles for self-defense.
 * H410A: Version with 635 kW WZ8C turbo-shaft engines. It's first flight was on September 2001, and it received CAAC certification on July 10th 2002. One is currently being fitted with a new Mast-Mounted Sighting (MMS) system.
 * H425: Newest VIP version of the H410A.
 * H450: Projected development.
 * Harbin Z-19: Attack helicopter development with tandem seats. The Z-19 shares the same powerplant as the Z-9WA.

Operators

 * Bangladesh
 * Bangladesh Navy
 * Bolivia
 * Bolivian Air Force
 * Cambodia
 * Cambodian Air Force
 * Cambodian Gendarmerie
 * Cameroon
 * Cameroon Air Force
 * People's Republic of China
 * People's Liberation Army Air Force
 * People's Liberation Army Navy
 * Djibouti
 * Djibouti Air Force
 * Ghana
 * Ghana Air Force
 * Kenya
 * Kenya Defence Forces
 * Laos
 * Lao People's Liberation Army Air Force
 * Mali
 * Mali Air Force
 * Mauritania
 * Mauritanian Air Force
 * Namibia
 * Namibian Air Force
 * Pakistan
 * Pakistan Naval Air Arm
 * Venezuela
 * Venezuelan Navy
 * Zambia
 * Zambian Air Force

Related Development

 * Aérospatiale SA360 Dauphin
 * Eurocopter AS365 Dauphin II
 * Eurocopter AS565 Panther
 * Harbin Z-19

Comparable Aircraft

 * Agusta A109
 * AgustaWestland AW149
 * Bell UH-1 Iroquois
 * Sikorsky SH-60 Seahawk
 * Eurocopter HH-65 Dolphin