The Z-19 lacks the Comanche’s most exclusive feature: the specially designed hull, sculpted and coated with expensive radar-absorbent materials to reduce its radar cross-section to 1/250th the usual size.
China Demos Drone-guided Helicopter-launched Missile Attack on Maritime Targets Our Bureau 642
PLA Z-19 helicopters
In a recent live-fire exercise, the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) guided Z-19 gunships to launch missile attacks on maritime targets beyond visual range using reconnaissance drones.
The drills were conducted by an aviation brigade attached to the PLA 71st Group Army recently held the drill in the Yellow Sea.
The drones detected, identified and tracked maritime targets from thousands of meters high in the air, and sent the data back to the command center in real time. Upon receiving orders, multiple Z-19 attack helicopters took off and rapidly headed toward the targets at low altitude. Instead of confirming with the naked eye, the pilots launched missiles at the targets based on the guidance of the drones once they entered missile range, state-run CCTV reported Tuesday.