Harbin Z-9

Harbin Z-9

The Harbin Z-9 (NATO reporting name "Haitun", Chinese: 海豚; lit. 'Dolphin') is a Chinese military utility helicopter with armed variants, manufactured by Harbin Aircraft Manufacturing Corporation. It is a license-built variant of the French Eurocopter AS365 Dauphin.

Design and development

Harbin Z-9

The first Z-9 flew in (/wiki/1981inaviation), and was built in China from components supplied by Aérospatiale as part of a production patent bought on 15 October 1980. On 16 January 1992, the indigenous variant Z-9B, constructed with 70% Chinese-made parts, flew successfully. The flight test was completed in November 1992 and the design was finalized a month later. Z-9B production began in 1993 and entered PLA service in 1994.

The Z-9B features an 11-blade Fenestron faired-in tail rotor with wider-chord, all-composite blades replacing the 13-blade used in the original AS365N. As a light tactical troop transport, the Z-9 has the capacity to transport 10 fully armed soldiers. Generally the Z-9 is identical to the AS365N Dauphin, though later variants of the Z-9 incorporate more composite materials to increase structural strength and lower radar signature.

The helicopter has a four-blade main rotor, with two turboshaft engines mounted side by side on top of the cabin with engine layout identical to the AS365N. The Z-9 teardrop-shaped body features a tapered boom to the tail fin, with rounded nose and stepped-up cockpit, retractable gear, and all flat bottom.

In 2002, Harbin obtained Chinese certification for the new H410A variant of the Z-9, which features more powerful Turbomeca Arriel 2C turboshaft engines; Eurocopter issued official objections to Harbin's decision to continue production in spite of the license-production agreement having expired, leading to a period of highly sensitive international negotiations to resolve the dispute.

Variants

Harbin Z-9

An armed variant has been fielded by the PLA since the early 1990s as the Z-9W, with pylons fitted for anti-tank missiles. These helicopters lack the maneuverability and survivability of a proper attack helicopter, and merely provide a stopgap during the development of the Z-10. The latest armed version, the Z-9W, was introduced in (/wiki/2005inaviation) and has night attack capabilities, with an under-nose low-light TV and infra-red observing and tracking unit.

The naval version introduced in the 1990s is known as the Z-9C. As well as SAR and ASW duties, the Z-9C can be fitted with an X-band KLC-1 surface search radar to detect surface targets beyond the range of shipborne radar systems.

Harbin Z-9W

Z-9: License-produced variant of the French AS.365N1.

Z-9A: Kit-built variant of the AS.365N2.

Z-9A-100: Prototypes for domestic market versions with WZ8A engines. First flight 16 January 1992, approved 30 December 1992.

Z-9B: Production version based on Z-9A-100. Multi-role.

A PLAN Z-9C helicopter

Z-9C: License-produced variant of the Eurocopter AS.565 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 Pakistan Navy's Zulfiquar-class frigates.

Z-9EH: Transport, emergency and/or passenger variant.

Z-9W: Also known as WZ-9. 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.

A Harbin Z-9WA

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/ (/wiki/HJ-10), as well as light anti-ship missiles such as C-701/(/wiki/C-701#C-703) and TL-1/ (/wiki/TL-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. First flight September 2001, CAAC certification 10 July 2002. One is currently being fitted with a new Mast-Mounted Sighting (MMS) system.

A Harbin Z-19 at the China Helicopter Exposition, Tianjin 2013

Z-19: Attack helicopter development with tandem seats. The Z-19 shares the same powerplant as the Z-9WA.

Operators

Harbin Z-9

A map with users of the Harbin Z-9 in blue

A Malian Air Force Z-9B coming in to land

• Cambodian Air Force • Cambodian Gendarmerie

• People's Liberation Army Air Force • People's Liberation Army Ground Air Force • People's Liberation Army Naval Air Force • Type 052D destroyer • Type 053 frigate, Type 053H3 frigate, Type 054 frigate, Type 054A frigate (Z-9C) • Type 056 corvette (Z-9C) • People's Armed Police • Guizhou Public Security Department

• Djiboutian Air Force

• Armed Forces of Equatorial Guinea

• Kenya Defence Forces

• Laotian Air Force

A Z-9 aboard the aft-deck of Type 054A frigate Yiyang during a bilateral counter-piracy exercise between China and the US in 2012

• Mali Air Force

• Mauritanian Air Force

• State Administration Council

• Pakistan Naval Air Arm

Accidents and incidents

Harbin Z-9

• On 11 April 2014: A Harbin Z-9 Helicopter operated by the Namibian Air Force crashed during takeoff at Grootfontein Air Force Base. • 2020 Hong Kong Garrison helicopter crash • On 6 August 2025, a Z-9 operated by the Ghana Air Force crashed in Ashanti Region in Ghana, killing all eight people on board including defence minister Edward Omane Boamah and environment minister Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed.

Specifications (Z-9B)

Harbin Z-9

• Crew: 1 or 2 pilots • Capacity: 10 passengers or 1,900 kg (4,189 lb) payload internal, 1,600 kg (3,527 lb) payload slung • Length: 12.11 m (39 ft 9 in) • Height: 4.01 m (13 ft 2 in) • Empty weight: 2,050 kg (4,519 lb) • Max takeoff weight: 4,100 kg (9,039 lb) • Powerplant: 2 × Zhuzhou Aeroengine Factory WZ-8A turboshaft, 632 kW (848 hp) each • Main rotor diameter: 11.94 m (39 ft 2 in) • Main rotor area: 111.98 m2 (1,205.3 sq ft) swept area

• Maximum speed: 305 km/h (190 mph, 165 kn) • Cruise speed: 260 km/h (160 mph, 140 kn) • Ferry range: 1,000 km (620 mi, 540 nmi) with internal auxiliary tank • Endurance: 5 hours • Service ceiling: 4,500 m (14,800 ft) Hovering ceiling in ground effect: 2,600 m (8,530 ft) Hovering ceiling out of ground effect: 1,600 m (5,249 ft)

• Guns: two fixed 23 mm Type 23-2 (AM-23) cannon on attack variants. • Hardpoints: Pylons for rockets, gun pods, ET52 torpedo, HJ-8 anti-tank missiles, or TY-90 air-to-air missiles.