Paul Lewis/SINGAPORE

China is approaching foreign manufacturers looking for new attack and naval-transport helicopters, while the country's navy is looking at the options for the construction of a new helicopter carrier.

According to Western defence sources, the People's Liberation Army (PLA) has been paying visits to European, Russian and South African helicopter companies to source new machines. It has two different requirements - for an airborne armed-assault capability and a utility helicopter.

PLA delegations are understood to have visited manufacturers, including manufacturers Agusta of Italy and Denel of South Africa. The French Government, at the same time, has been seeking to interest China in new helicopter-gearbox and transmission systems.

Aerospatiale enjoys strong co-operation with China, with the Eurocopter AS365 and Super Frelon both being produced under licence in-country. Harbin Aircraft recently unveiled an armed version of the AS365, locally designated as the Z-9G, equipped with four HJ-8 anti-tank missiles, twin 23mm gunpods and a gyro-stabilised sight.

The PLA navy (PLAN) is also reported to be studying the acquisition of a helicopter carrier for its large Shanghai-based East Sea Fleet. The warship, if given the go-ahead, would be constructed in Dalian, which could produce a carrier of up to 15,000t in size.

China has long harboured ambitions to add an aircraft carrier to its navy, but has lacked sufficient funds and technology to either construct or operate such a vessel. Defence sources view the construction of a more modestly sized helicopter carrier as an interim step towards a longer-term goal of a shipboard fixed-wing capability.

Spanish shipyard Bazan is known to have been in discussion with the Chinese, but the issue of technology transfer has proved problematic. The PLAN recently inspected the Thai navy's new Bazan-built 11,500t carrier the Chakri Nuruebet, which is equipped with surplus Spanish British Aerospace AV-8A Harriers.

China's acquisition of a helicopter carrier would represent a significant boost to the PLAN's amphibious lift capabilities and threat to Taiwan. A military solution to Beijing's long-stated goal of re-unification with the Island is now handicapped by the PLAN's inability to transport an invasion force any larger than division.

Source: Flight International