Pakistan has criticised Chinese-made helicopters over maintenance issues. Pakistani naval authorities have notified about the flawed processing of spare parts that the country has imported from China. Pakistan purchased the Chinese Z-9EC helicopters in 2006, a variant particularly manufactured for the Pakistan navy and air force, according to ANI. However, the Z-9EC helicopters bought by Pakistan do not get adequate maintenance from the Chinese suppliers.
Pakistan had bought the helicopters with capabilities of compression radar, low-frequency sonar, radar warning receiver and doppler navigation system to counter India. However, Pakistan will not be able to pose a threat to India due to poor maintenance of Chinese helicopters, a Difesa Online report says. The problem in the Z-9EC helicopters is the poor maintenance facilities given by the Chinese supplier. Notably, the helicopters have been manufactured by the Harbin Aircraft Industry.
The Pakistan navy, like the rest of the Pak armed forces, frequently purchase military equipment from China in view of their “all-weather” friendship with Beijing. Earlier in June, the Pakistani navy faced difficulties due to Chinese multi-role frigates as they had defective critical components. Furthermore, the frigates did not get proper maintenance service from their Chinese supplier as well. Pakistan had bought these frigates to boost its naval capabilities. Pakistan also ‘produces’ knock-offs of Chinese fighter jets, which are known to be duds. Its main air force vanguard of American F-16s has recently been thrown a lifeline with America’s Biden administration set to approve an upgradation package.
Pakistani naval officer highlights issues in Chinese helicopters
It is not the first time that Pakistan has criticised China for its military sales. Earlier in 2009, the then Chief of Staff of the Pakistan Navy, Admiral Noman Bashir, had claimed that the Pakistani navy faced serious issues with helicopters within a short period of time. As per news reports, the serious issue faced by the Pakistan navy was the malfunctioning of the tail rotor blade which had a direct effect on the performance of the machine in the air. The helicopter makes sudden uncontrolled swings if its tail rotor blade does not function well and could pose a danger to the crew, reports added. Secondly, the main rotor blade’s life limit is 3000 hours, however, some of them were replaced early due to severe corrosion caused by seawater. The brake distribution valve resulted in several tire blowouts during the landing stages between 2018 to 2019 as well.