Pakistan inducts first Z-10ME helicopter into service

The Changhe Z-10ME attack helicopter can be armed with a variety of air-launched munitions. The helicopter made its debut appearance outside China, at the 2024 Singapore Airshow, in a desert warfare camouflage scheme. (Janes/Ridzwan Rahmat)

The Pakistan Army has inducted its first Changhe Z-10ME attack helicopter to reinforce its “integrated battlefield response”, the country's Directorate of the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) has announced.

The aircraft was inducted into service during a visit by Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir to the Multan Garrison in central Pakistan, ISPR said on 2 August.

The Multan Garrison hosts several Pakistan Army armoured brigades and attack helicopter squadrons. According to ISPR, the media and public relations wing of the Pakistan Armed Forces, the Z-10ME will modernise the army's Corps of Aviation while enhancing the service's ability to conduct an integrated response on the battlefield.

The Z-10ME will reinforce the Pakistan Army's “capacity to deliver decisive effects against potential adversaries”, ISPR said. It added that the helicopter is an “all-weather platform [that] is capable of precision-strike operations day and night”.

ISPR did not state how many helicopters the Pakistan Army's Corps of Aviation inducted in the first batch. Video footage and imagery released by the agency appear to show a single Z-10ME with the tail number 786-301 at the induction ceremony. ISPR has suggested that more than one Z-10ME helicopter has been inducted. According to the agency, Field Marshal Munir “witnessed a firepower demonstration by the newly inducted Z-10ME helicopters” at the Muzaffargarh Field Firing Ranges (MFFR).

The ISPR video of the demonstration, however, showed a single Z-10ME in operation. Other videos of the demonstration, which have since appeared on social media, also appear to show only 786-301 in operation over MFFR.