{
  "id": "wz-10",
  "name": "WZ-10 (Z-10)",
  "aliases": [
    "CAIC Z-10",
    "Fierce Thunderbolt"
  ],
  "domain": "air",
  "country": "CHN",
  "category": "Attack helicopter",
  "status": null,
  "fielded": 2012,
  "operators": [
    "CHN"
  ],
  "prolif_count": 1,
  "summary": "WZ-10 (Z-10) Chinese Attack Helicopter is an attack helicopter under development in China. It is designed primarily for anti-tank and battlefield interdiction operations, with a secondary air-to-air capability.",
  "specs": [
    {
      "k": "crew",
      "v": 2,
      "src": [
        "weg-wz-10"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "Hardpoints",
      "section": "armament",
      "v": "4 ea",
      "src": [
        "weg-wz-10"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "length_m",
      "v": 14.2,
      "src": [
        "weg-wz-10"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "width_m",
      "v": 4.3,
      "src": [
        "weg-wz-10"
      ],
      "conf": "medium",
      "label": "Wingspan"
    },
    {
      "k": "height_m",
      "v": 3.8,
      "src": [
        "weg-wz-10"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "mass_kg",
      "v": 5100,
      "src": [
        "weg-wz-10"
      ],
      "conf": "medium",
      "label": "Empty weight"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "Thrust / power",
      "section": "mobility",
      "v": "1,531 hp (1,142 kW) each",
      "src": [
        "weg-wz-10"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "ceiling_m",
      "v": 6400,
      "src": [
        "weg-wz-10"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "Rate of climb",
      "section": "mobility",
      "v": ">10 m/s",
      "src": [
        "weg-wz-10"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "Stealth Properties",
      "section": "protection",
      "v": "fuselage is designed to reduce radar cross section",
      "src": [
        "weg-wz-10"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "Armor",
      "section": "protection",
      "v": "Cockpit and fuselage have armor plating, providing protection against 12.7mm rounds.",
      "src": [
        "weg-wz-10"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "Add on Armor",
      "section": "protection",
      "v": "On Oct 10th, 2018, the Global Times reported that additional graphene (strong and lightweight material) had been added to the fuselage to protect key components, fuel cells, and the cockpit.",
      "src": [
        "weg-wz-10"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "NBC Protection",
      "section": "protection",
      "v": "Yes",
      "src": [
        "weg-wz-10"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "EW Counter Measures/CCM",
      "section": "protection",
      "v": "Radar receiving warning, laser receiving warning, infrared jammer, missile approach warning sensors (MAWS) and dispensers for chaff and flares.",
      "src": [
        "weg-wz-10"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "Counter Measures (Chaf/Flares)",
      "section": "protection",
      "v": "Yes",
      "src": [
        "weg-wz-10"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "Fire Control System Type",
      "section": "firecontrol",
      "v": "Fly-by-wire (fully automatic)",
      "src": [
        "weg-wz-10"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "Fire Control Radar",
      "section": "firecontrol",
      "v": "YH millimeter-wave fire control radar",
      "src": [
        "weg-wz-10"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "Sensor Suites(s) Available",
      "section": "firecontrol",
      "v": "Fitted to the nose and includes a TV camera, FLIR, laser designator, and range finder.",
      "src": [
        "weg-wz-10"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "Notes",
      "section": "armament",
      "v": "Due to its modular design concept, Z-10 can be armed with a wide variety of weaponry. The adaptation of the Chinese GJV289A standard, the Chinese equivalent of the MIL-STD-1553B databus architecture, enables weaponry of both Soviet and western origin to be…",
      "src": [
        "weg-wz-10"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "14.5 mm Gatling Gun (Chin Mounted-Option 3): location",
      "section": "armament",
      "v": "Chin Mounted",
      "src": [
        "weg-wz-10"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "14.5 mm Gatling Gun (Chin Mounted-Option 3): caliber",
      "section": "armament",
      "v": "14.5 mm",
      "src": [
        "weg-wz-10"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "14.5 mm Gatling Gun (Chin Mounted-Option 3): maximum effective range",
      "section": "armament",
      "v": "3,000 m",
      "src": [
        "weg-wz-10"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "14.5 mm Gatling Gun (Chin Mounted-Option 3): muzzle velocity",
      "section": "armament",
      "v": "1,000 m/s",
      "src": [
        "weg-wz-10"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "14.5 mm Gatling Gun (Chin Mounted-Option 3): rate of fire",
      "section": "armament",
      "v": "600 rpm",
      "src": [
        "weg-wz-10"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "14.5 mm Gatling Gun (Chin Mounted-Option 3): basic load",
      "section": "armament",
      "v": "40 Round Belt",
      "src": [
        "weg-wz-10"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "14.5 mm Gatling Gun (Chin Mounted-Option 3): notes",
      "section": "armament",
      "v": "BS: Armor-piercing incendiary; B-32: Armor-piercing incendiary full metal jacket round with a hardened steel core; BZT: Armor-piercing incendiary tracer full metal jacket round with a steel core; MDZ: High-explosive incendiary bullet of instant action; ZP…",
      "src": [
        "weg-wz-10"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "HJ-9 Anti-Tank Missile (Wing Mounted-Option 1): location",
      "section": "armament",
      "v": "Wing Mounted",
      "src": [
        "weg-wz-10"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "HJ-9 Anti-Tank Missile (Wing Mounted-Option 1): length",
      "section": "armament",
      "v": "1,200 mm",
      "src": [
        "weg-wz-10"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "HJ-9 Anti-Tank Missile (Wing Mounted-Option 1): diameter",
      "section": "armament",
      "v": "152 mm",
      "src": [
        "weg-wz-10"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "HJ-9 Anti-Tank Missile (Wing Mounted-Option 1): weight",
      "section": "armament",
      "v": "37 kg",
      "src": [
        "weg-wz-10"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "HJ-9 Anti-Tank Missile (Wing Mounted-Option 1): engine",
      "section": "armament",
      "v": "Rocket Motor",
      "src": [
        "weg-wz-10"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "HJ-9 Anti-Tank Missile (Wing Mounted-Option 1): warhead",
      "section": "armament",
      "v": "Tandem HEAT warhead, 1100-1200 mm penetration RHAe",
      "src": [
        "weg-wz-10"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "HJ-9 Anti-Tank Missile (Wing Mounted-Option 1): detonation mechanism",
      "section": "armament",
      "v": "Contact Fuse",
      "src": [
        "weg-wz-10"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "HJ-9 Anti-Tank Missile (Wing Mounted-Option 1): guidance system",
      "section": "armament",
      "v": "Laser-beam-riding & MMW Radar",
      "src": [
        "weg-wz-10"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "HJ-9 Anti-Tank Missile (Wing Mounted-Option 1): operational range",
      "section": "armament",
      "v": "100 - 5,500 m",
      "src": [
        "weg-wz-10"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "HJ-9 Anti-Tank Missile (Wing Mounted-Option 1): notes",
      "section": "armament",
      "v": "Additional Guided and Unguided Missisles include: HJ-8, HJ-9, PL-9, AIM-9 Sidewinder",
      "src": [
        "weg-wz-10"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "HJ-10 Anti-Tank Missile (Wing Mounted-Option 2): location",
      "section": "armament",
      "v": "Wing Mounted",
      "src": [
        "weg-wz-10"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "HJ-10 Anti-Tank Missile (Wing Mounted-Option 2): weight",
      "section": "armament",
      "v": "50 kg",
      "src": [
        "weg-wz-10"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "HJ-10 Anti-Tank Missile (Wing Mounted-Option 2): warhead",
      "section": "armament",
      "v": "Heat and others",
      "src": [
        "weg-wz-10"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "HJ-10 Anti-Tank Missile (Wing Mounted-Option 2): engine propellant",
      "section": "armament",
      "v": "Solid Fuel",
      "src": [
        "weg-wz-10"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "HJ-10 Anti-Tank Missile (Wing Mounted-Option 2): operational range",
      "section": "armament",
      "v": "3-10 km",
      "src": [
        "weg-wz-10"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "HJ-10 Anti-Tank Missile (Wing Mounted-Option 2): speed",
      "section": "armament",
      "v": "Supersonic",
      "src": [
        "weg-wz-10"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "HJ-10 Anti-Tank Missile (Wing Mounted-Option 2): guidance system",
      "section": "armament",
      "v": "Fiber-optic wire-guided missile (AFT-10) semi-active laser homing and millimeter wave radar seeker (AKD-10) Infrared homing",
      "src": [
        "weg-wz-10"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "HJ-10 Anti-Tank Missile (Wing Mounted-Option 2): aircraft capible to carry",
      "section": "armament",
      "v": "16 ea",
      "src": [
        "weg-wz-10"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "TY-90 Air-to-Air Missiles (Wing Mounted-Option 2): location",
      "section": "armament",
      "v": "Wing Mounted",
      "src": [
        "weg-wz-10"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "TY-90 Air-to-Air Missiles (Wing Mounted-Option 2): length",
      "section": "armament",
      "v": "1.9 m",
      "src": [
        "weg-wz-10"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "TY-90 Air-to-Air Missiles (Wing Mounted-Option 2): diameter",
      "section": "armament",
      "v": "90 mm",
      "src": [
        "weg-wz-10"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "TY-90 Air-to-Air Missiles (Wing Mounted-Option 2): weight, warhead",
      "section": "armament",
      "v": "3 kg",
      "src": [
        "weg-wz-10"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "TY-90 Air-to-Air Missiles (Wing Mounted-Option 2): detonation mechansim",
      "section": "armament",
      "v": "Impact/Proximity",
      "src": [
        "weg-wz-10"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "TY-90 Air-to-Air Missiles (Wing Mounted-Option 2): engine propllant",
      "section": "armament",
      "v": "Soldi Fuel",
      "src": [
        "weg-wz-10"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "TY-90 Air-to-Air Missiles (Wing Mounted-Option 2): operational range",
      "section": "armament",
      "v": "0.5-6 km",
      "src": [
        "weg-wz-10"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "TY-90 Air-to-Air Missiles (Wing Mounted-Option 2): flight ceiling",
      "section": "armament",
      "v": "6 km",
      "src": [
        "weg-wz-10"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "TY-90 Air-to-Air Missiles (Wing Mounted-Option 2): flight alitude",
      "section": "armament",
      "v": "0-6 km",
      "src": [
        "weg-wz-10"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "TY-90 Air-to-Air Missiles (Wing Mounted-Option 2): speed",
      "section": "armament",
      "v": "2 Mach",
      "src": [
        "weg-wz-10"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "TY-90 Air-to-Air Missiles (Wing Mounted-Option 2): guidance system",
      "section": "armament",
      "v": "ImiR IR",
      "src": [
        "weg-wz-10"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "TY-90 Air-to-Air Missiles (Wing Mounted-Option 2): aircraft capible to carry",
      "section": "armament",
      "v": "16 ea",
      "src": [
        "weg-wz-10"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "CVI: WEFT: wings",
      "section": "armament",
      "v": "5 x main rotor blades.",
      "src": [
        "weg-wz-10"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "CVI: WEFT: engine",
      "section": "armament",
      "v": "2 x engines. Engine exhausts on both sides of fuselage.",
      "src": [
        "weg-wz-10"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "CVI: WEFT: fuselage",
      "section": "armament",
      "v": "Angular shaped tandem pilot canopies. Target sight system. Chin-mounted 30mm chain gun. Short, aerodynamic wing weapon load mount points, Fixed, wheeled landing gear.",
      "src": [
        "weg-wz-10"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "CVI: WEFT: tail",
      "section": "armament",
      "v": "Tail rotor assembly features two pairs at unequal distance (located on right side of vertical stabilizer). Include tail stabilizer wings.",
      "src": [
        "weg-wz-10"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "armament",
      "v": "Gryazev-Shipunov GSh-23; Similar to the 25 mm chain gun found in the US Bradley Fighting Vehicl",
      "src": [
        "weg-wz-10"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    }
  ],
  "payloads": [
    {
      "name": "Gryazev-Shipunov GSh-23",
      "role": "Weapon",
      "src": [
        "weg-wz-10"
      ],
      "conf": "medium",
      "caps": {
        "Caliber": "23 mm",
        "Rate of fire": "3,400-3,600 rds/m"
      },
      "range_km": [
        0.2,
        1.8
      ]
    },
    {
      "name": "Similar to the 25 mm chain gun found in the US Bradley Fighting Vehicl",
      "role": "Weapon",
      "src": [
        "weg-wz-10"
      ],
      "conf": "medium",
      "caps": {
        "Caliber": "25 mm",
        "Rate of fire": "Cyclic: 200rpm with 1hp or 500rpm with 8hp"
      },
      "range_km": 3
    }
  ],
  "variants": [
    {
      "name": "Z-10ME",
      "text": "Upgraded variant first unveiled in 2018 with active and passive countermeasures, missile approach warning system, radar warning receiver, new engine exhaust nozzle pointed upwards to reduce infrared signature, new intake filtration systems and armor panels…",
      "src": [
        "weg-wz-10"
      ]
    },
    {
      "name": "Z-10H",
      "text": "Pre-production series powered by Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6C-76 turboshaft engine.",
      "src": [
        "weg-wz-10"
      ]
    },
    {
      "name": "Z-10K",
      "text": "Simplified Z-10H powered with domestic Chinese WZ-9 engine of 930 - 950 kW range. Due to the drastic reduction of power by nearly a third, MASWS, IRCM, and some other subsystems removed； armor is also greatly reduced to save weight.",
      "src": [
        "weg-wz-10"
      ]
    },
    {
      "name": "Z-10M",
      "text": "3 samples built for Pakistan with equipment missing in Z-10K added back, powered by WZ-9C engine with maximum power around 1000 - 1100 kW.",
      "src": [
        "weg-wz-10"
      ]
    },
    {
      "name": "Z-10 Millimeter Wave Radar",
      "text": "Equipped with Z-19's millimeter wave radar for ground testing.",
      "src": [
        "weg-wz-10"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "art": "helicopter",
  "image": null,
  "verified": null,
  "changelog": [
    {
      "date": "2026-10-10",
      "change": "Entry created from the Worldwide Equipment Guide (ODIN), bulk import"
    }
  ],
  "url": "https://www.defensepedia.com/systems/wz-10.html",
  "sources": {
    "weg-wz-10": {
      "title": "WZ-10 (Z-10) Chinese Attack Helicopter",
      "publisher": "U.S. Army TRADOC G-2 Worldwide Equipment Guide (ODIN)",
      "url": "https://odin.t2com.army.mil/WEG/Asset/WZ-10_Z-10_Chinese_Attack_Helicopter",
      "published": "2026-03-20",
      "tier": 1,
      "checked": "2026-10-10"
    }
  }
}