@adam_tooze @gideonrachman A UH-60 Blackhawk has a radius of action of 368 miles with external stores system fuel tanks.
The Chinese have copied & improved on this helicopter as the Z-20.
It is 130-ish kilometers in the closest Chinese coast to the closest Taiwan coast.
thedrive.com/the-war-zone/5…
The Chinese have copied & improved on this helicopter as the Z-20.
It is 130-ish kilometers in the closest Chinese coast to the closest Taiwan coast.
thedrive.com/the-war-zone/5…
@adam_tooze @gideonrachman The Z-20 has a 5-blade rotor system and more powerful engines as well as auxiliary wing-like hardpoints attached to it, similar to the Lightweight Armament Support Structure (LASS) and External Stores Support System (ESSS) wings on the US Blackhawks.
thedrive.com/the-war-zone/3…
thedrive.com/the-war-zone/3…
@adam_tooze @gideonrachman Essentially, a fleet of Z-20's with external stores can do 2 round trips from Mainland China to Taipei loaded with 11 troops per lift.
Or they can trade fuel for weapons and play assault gunship to support infantry air-landings.
A Chinese coup de main vs. Taiwan is now possible
Or they can trade fuel for weapons and play assault gunship to support infantry air-landings.
A Chinese coup de main vs. Taiwan is now possible
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