China’s Z-8G, Z-20 Helicopters Enters Armed Police Service

China’s latest domestically developed Z-8G and Z-20 helicopters have entered service with the Chinese People's Armed Police (PAP) Force.

A detachment affiliated with the second mobile corps of the PAP recently organized multiple realistic combat-oriented drills featuring combat sorties and formation flights of helicopters, with the aim of honing the pilots' skills and their capability in coordinated combat, the PAP announced in a statement released on its WeChat social media account last week.

According to images attached to the statement, the helicopters involved in the drills are Z-20s and Z-8Gs, the Global Times reported.

This is the first time the Z-20 helicopter has made an appearance in service with the PAP, following its public debut at the National Day military parade on October 1, 2019 in Beijing in the colors of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Army, observers noted.

The PAP version of the 10-ton Z-20 utility helicopter looks very similar to the PLA Army version, but it is painted in olive green and with Chinese characters for "armed police," eastday.com, a Shanghai-based news website, reported on Sunday.

The Z-8G, the other type of helicopter featured in the recent PAP exercises, is a 13 ton-class transport helicopter based on the original Z-8 helicopter and designed to be capable of operating in high-altitude regions, the eastday.com report said.

It is also a new-type helicopter, having made its debut at the 5th China Helicopter Exposition held in North China's Tianjin in October 2019 as an item of PLA Army equipment. The Z-8G was revealed in service with the PAP in May 2021, when CCTV reported on an earthquake relief drill in which the PAP participated, eastday.com said.

Both the Z-20 and the Z-8G are characterized by their strong cargo capacity, rapid movement and ability to maneuver in complex terrain and environments including plateaus, experts were quoted as saying by Chinese state media. The PAP has gained enhanced mobility and flexibility in tasks including anti-terrorist, disaster relief and emergency rescue missions.