The Z-19 is an upgraded
tandem seat version of the
Harbin Z-9W (similar to the development of the
Bell AH-1 Cobra from the
UH-1), using mechanical components derived from the
Eurocopter AS365 Dauphin series, as the Z-9 series are license-built versions of the Dauphin helicopters. The helicopter is equipped with a millimeter-wave fire-control radar on top of its four-blade rotor. Unlike most other attack helicopters, it lacks a nose-mounted machine gun or autocannon. The Z-19 also features armor plating, crash-resistant seats, and a turret with
FLIR, TV, and laser rangefinder. which looks different from that of the
CAIC Z-10. The general designer of the Z-19 was Wu Ximing (吴希明) of the 602nd Research Institute, one of the Chinese top scientists involved in the
863 Program, after graduating from
Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics in 1984. Wu had earlier participated in the designs of the armed version of the transport helicopters
Z-8A,
Z-11 and
Z-9. He also participated in the development and flight testing of another Chinese attack helicopter, the
CAIC Z-10. At the 9th Zhuhai Airshow held in November 2012,
Aviation Industry Corporation of China formally announced the official names of the Z-10 and Z-19 at a televised news release conference, with both attack helicopters named after fictional characters in the
Water Margin, one of the
Four Great Classical Novels of
Chinese literature. Z-10 is named as
Fierce Thunderbolt (Pili Huo, 霹雳火), the nickname of
Qin Ming, while Z-19 is named as
Black Whirlwind (
Hei Xuanfeng, 黑旋风), the nickname of
Li Kui. ==Variants==