force-multiplier

A Low-Visibility Force Multiplier
Additional research is required to gauge how much coordination exists within the
PLAN between its ground-based naval air and surface/subsurface assets. 98 This assessment
is all the more critical as the type and degree of coordination will necessarily vary
depending on the maritime mission. Development and procurement of increasingly
advanced aircraft will not automatically solve the lack of practical experience with them.
As China’s experience itself has demonstrated, mastering operations will involve the loss
of expensive aircraft and hard to replace pilots.
Helicopters
In contrast to recent improvements in fixed-wing aviation, helicopters remain an
area of PLA evolution, not revolution, and limited in number—perhaps because the PLA
is wary of acquiring many until improved models are available. Most helicopters in the
PLA’s disproportionately small fleet (totaling as many as 700–800 airframes including
roughly 500 for the ground forces, 100+ for the PLAN, and approximately 100 for the
PLAAF) are either imports or copies of foreign models. 99 This deficiency was most directly
exposed during the May 12, 2008, Sichuan earthquake when relief operations were
limited significantly by lack of helicopters (particularly heavy lift). The PLAN operates
40 Z-8s, a derivative of France’s Aerospatiale SA 321Ja/Super Frelon. They may carry
the YJ-7 TV-guided antiship missile. 100 A Z-8F variant, powered by Pratt & Whitney
engines, first flew in 2004. The PLAN also operates 25 units of a naval version (C) of
the Zhi-9/Haitun (Z-9) multirole helicopter, licensed copies of France’s Eurocopter AS
365N/Dauphin II. They may likewise carry the YJ-7. 101 Recent Internet photos have
shown a Z-9C with a C-70x or FL-X ASCM on it. Also in the inventory are 15 Ka-28/
Helix naval helicopters purchased from Russia for its Sovremenny destroyers as well as
for its indigenous Type 052B and Type 052C destroyers in recent counterpiracy deployments.
102 The Ka-28’s VGS-3 submarine-detecting dipping sonar and sonar buoys and any
further improvements in rotary wing aviation will help the PLAN to address one aspect
of its serious long-term weakness in ASW. China is attempting to remedy its helicopter
deficiency further by developing joint ventures with foreign manufacturers; assembly/
production of medium-sized helicopters in China has begun with Eurocopter. China
typically imports several airframes of a given model and then produces additional units
under license. Reportedly, the China Helicopter Research and Development Institute
(CHRDI) is developing an indigenous WZ-10 advanced attack helicopter, albeit only for
ground warfare applications at this time. 103
Regarding cruise missiles, the primary role of helicopters is to serve as over-thehorizon
targeting (OTH-T) platforms rather than missile shooters. The latest unclassified
ONI report states that “the use of shipboard helicopters, the Mineral-ME radar and
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