Pakistan’s Firepower Drill Shows Chinese-Built Z-10ME-II and U.S.-Made AH-1F Cobra Helicopters
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Pakistan held its Raad ul Fatah combined arms firepower exercise at the Tilla Firing Ranges in Jhelum on 16 November, showcasing newly inducted Chinese Z-10ME-II attack helicopters flying live fire alongside U.S. built AH-1F Cobras. The display, observed by Jordan’s King Abdullah II and Pakistan’s top leadership, underlines Islamabad’s mixed-sourcing approach to attack aviation and signals a sharpened deterrent posture near key frontiers.
On 16 November 2025, at the Tilla Firing Ranges in Jhelum, Punjab, Pakistan staged the large-scale combined arms firepower exercise “Raad ul Fatah”. During the event, Pakistan Army Aviation’s newly inducted Chinese-built Z-10ME-II attack helicopters flew and fired alongside long-serving American-made AH-1F Cobras in coordinated live-fire profiles. Observed by Jordan’s King Abdullah II, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir, the exercise brought together air, land and unmanned systems in a single strike architecture near key frontiers. The demonstration, described as a full-spectrum firepower display and reported by multiple local Pakistani reports and social media posts, is framed as evidence of high readiness and an active deterrent posture.
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Pakistan showcased its readiness with Z‑10ME‑II and AH‑1F Cobra helicopters in a major firepower drill (Picture Source: Pakistan Local Media)
The most notable element of Raad ul Fatah was the first public employment of Pakistan’s Z-10ME-II attack helicopters in an integrated combined-arms scenario. In footage and eyewitness accounts from the Tilla ranges, the Chinese-made gunships were seen manoeuvring and firing in the same airspace as US-origin AH-1F Cobras, under the umbrella of multirole fighter aircraft, long-range rocket artillery, tube artillery, armoured and mechanised formations, as well as FPV and UCAV drones. This pairing of new Chinese and legacy American platforms in one coordinated strike package encapsulates Pakistan’s transition from an ageing US-supplied gunship fleet to a new generation of Chinese rotary-wing combat systems, without yet retiring its proven Cobras.
The Z-10ME-II is an export-oriented evolution of the Changhe Z-10, developed by AVIC and Changhe Aircraft Industries Corporation as China’s dedicated medium-weight attack helicopter. The “ME” configuration incorporates more powerful WZ-9C turboshaft engines, infrared-suppressing upward-canted exhausts, and appliqué ceramic/graphene armour around the cockpit and engines to improve survivability in high-threat environments. Its defensive suite typically includes radar and laser warning receivers, ultraviolet missile-approach warning sensors and directional infrared countermeasures (DIRCM), reflecting lessons from the proliferation of shoulder-fired surface-to-air missiles on modern battlefields.
On the offensive side, the Z-10ME family combines a 23 mm chin-mounted cannon with six wing hardpoints able to carry guided and unguided rockets, anti-tank guided missiles (ATGMs) such as HJ-10/AKD-10 or CM-502KG, and TY-90 short-range air-to-air missiles. Public technical reporting points to a maximum take-off weight around 7.2 tonnes, a speed close to 300 km/h, and an operational ceiling in the 6,000 m class, with a combat radius sufficient to cover likely engagement zones along the Line of Control and other high-altitude sectors. These characteristics are designed to give Pakistan a purpose-built anti-armour and close air support asset optimised for mountainous terrain and long loiter over the battlefield.
For Pakistan, bringing this Chinese platform into service has been the end point of a long and complex procurement trajectory. Islamabad briefly tested earlier Z-10 prototypes in 2015 but declined them at the time, citing engine performance shortfalls. Subsequent efforts to acquire US AH-1Z Vipers and Turkish T129 ATAK helicopters were blocked by engine export constraints amid deteriorating relations with Washington, forcing Pakistan to seek a solution free of Western supply leverage. That gap has now been filled by the Z-10ME, with Pakistan identified as the type’s first export customer; the Army formally inducted the helicopters in August 2025 at Multan Garrison, where Field Marshal Asim Munir oversaw a live-fire demonstration at Muzaffargarh Field Firing Ranges. Raad ul Fatah therefore, marks the next step: transitioning from induction-range demonstrations to employment in a high-tempo, multi-domain exercise.
Opposite the Chinese-built gunships in the same formations were Pakistan’s Bell AH-1F Cobras, a distinctly American product that has been in Pakistani service since the mid-1980s. Between 1985 and 1986, the United States supplied around 40 AH-1S/F helicopters, later upgraded with thermal imaging systems. These platforms have since seen extensive use in counter-insurgency and UN missions, including deployments to Somalia and Sierra Leone, before being committed to internal security and border operations in Pakistan’s western regions. Light, narrow and armed with a 20 mm cannon and TOW-series anti-tank missiles, the Cobra remains a capable close support asset, even as fatigue, obsolescence and sustainment challenges gradually push it towards the end of its service life.
From an operational perspective, flying Chinese and US helicopters together in one strike package is not merely symbolic. It demonstrates that Pakistan Army Aviation has been able to integrate two very different ecosystems, Chinese digital avionics, weapons and data buses on the Z-10ME side, and older US-standard architecture on the AH-1F, into a common command-and-control and targeting framework. In a scenario like Raad ul Fatah, the Z-10ME-II, with its modern electro-optical sensors and networked weapons, can be tasked to locate and engage high-value armoured targets at range, while Cobras provide nearer-horizon suppression, mopping up exposed positions or securing flanks. In parallel, multirole fighter aircraft conduct interdiction, while guided rocket and artillery systems deliver standoff fires, and FPV and UCAV drones provide real-time reconnaissance and strike options against point targets.
The selection of the Tilla Firing Ranges underscores the gravity of the demonstration. Located near Jhelum, Tilla has long served as a premier testing and training complex, hosting missile trials, joint Army–Air Force firing exercises, and unmanned systems evaluations. Its proximity to potential high-intensity land theatres makes it a strategically significant venue. Conducting a comprehensive live-fire exercise there, in the presence of both domestic and international dignitaries, positions Raad ul Fatah not as a routine training event but as a proof-of-concept for multi-domain warfare. The attendance of Jordan’s King Abdullah II, whose armed forces operate a blend of Western-origin helicopters and armored platforms, adds a diplomatic layer, signaling Pakistan’s intent to showcase its evolving capabilities to regional partners while simultaneously strengthening its strategic alignment with China.
From a strategic perspective, the joint deployment of Chinese Z-10ME-II and American AH-1F helicopters reflects Pakistan’s broader defense posture. It illustrates a deliberate shift in the country’s combat aviation focus from Western to Chinese suppliers, driven by both technological advantages and the risks associated with sanctions. At the same time, it demonstrates Islamabad’s determination to maximize the operational utility of its remaining U.S.-origin assets rather than phasing them out prematurely. For potential adversaries, most notably India, which fields AH-64E Apache helicopters, the exercise conveys a clear message: Pakistan is bridging legacy gaps in its attack helicopter fleet with platforms tailored for high-altitude combat, while maintaining sufficient depth in its older systems to support sustained operations.
The exercise also has a signalling function towards external partners. For Beijing, seeing the Z-10ME-II operating in mixed formations under realistic combined-arms conditions is a valuable demonstration that its first export customer is integrating the platform at scale and in demanding tactical profiles, effectively serving as a showcase for future export campaigns. For Washington, the continued presence of AH-1F Cobras in frontline exercises, albeit alongside Chinese platforms that are gradually replacing them, underlines both the enduring legacy of US-origin kit in the Pakistan order of battle and the consequences of earlier export restrictions, which accelerated Islamabad’s pivot to Chinese systems.
Seen through a geostrategic lens, Raad ul Fatah and the first public appearance of the Z-10ME-II in such a setting amount to a carefully calibrated message: Pakistan is knitting together a mixed fleet of Chinese and American attack helicopters, backed by drones, artillery and armour, into a coherent, high-tempo strike capability designed for real-world contingencies. The visual of Chinese-built gunships and US-built Cobras sharing the same firing line over Tilla underscores not only a generational handover inside Pakistan Army Aviation, but also the country’s determination to diversify suppliers while maintaining operational continuity. As regional tensions remain volatile and air–land integration becomes central to modern conflict, this exercise signals that Pakistan intends to keep its deterrent posture active, its multi-origin warfighting machinery interoperable, and its attack helicopter arm ready to move from demonstration to deployment on short notice.
Written by Teoman S. Nicanci – Defense Analyst, Army Recognition Group
Teoman S. Nicanci holds degrees in Political Science, Comparative and International Politics, and International Relations and Diplomacy from leading Belgian universities, with research focused on Russian strategic behavior, defense technology, and modern warfare. He is a defense analyst at Army Recognition, specializing in the global defense industry, military armament, and emerging defense technologies.
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Pakistan held its Raad ul Fatah combined arms firepower exercise at the Tilla Firing Ranges in Jhelum on 16 November, showcasing newly inducted Chinese Z-10ME-II attack helicopters flying live fire alongside U.S. built AH-1F Cobras. The display, observed by Jordan’s King Abdullah II and Pakistan’s top leadership, underlines Islamabad’s mixed-sourcing approach to attack aviation and signals a sharpened deterrent posture near key frontiers.
On 16 November 2025, at the Tilla Firing Ranges in Jhelum, Punjab, Pakistan staged the large-scale combined arms firepower exercise “Raad ul Fatah”. During the event, Pakistan Army Aviation’s newly inducted Chinese-built Z-10ME-II attack helicopters flew and fired alongside long-serving American-made AH-1F Cobras in coordinated live-fire profiles. Observed by Jordan’s King Abdullah II, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir, the exercise brought together air, land and unmanned systems in a single strike architecture near key frontiers. The demonstration, described as a full-spectrum firepower display and reported by multiple local Pakistani reports and social media posts, is framed as evidence of high readiness and an active deterrent posture.
Pakistan showcased its readiness with Z‑10ME‑II and AH‑1F Cobra helicopters in a major firepower drill (Picture Source: Pakistan Local Media)
The most notable element of Raad ul Fatah was the first public employment of Pakistan’s Z-10ME-II attack helicopters in an integrated combined-arms scenario. In footage and eyewitness accounts from the Tilla ranges, the Chinese-made gunships were seen manoeuvring and firing in the same airspace as US-origin AH-1F Cobras, under the umbrella of multirole fighter aircraft, long-range rocket artillery, tube artillery, armoured and mechanised formations, as well as FPV and UCAV drones. This pairing of new Chinese and legacy American platforms in one coordinated strike package encapsulates Pakistan’s transition from an ageing US-supplied gunship fleet to a new generation of Chinese rotary-wing combat systems, without yet retiring its proven Cobras.
The Z-10ME-II is an export-oriented evolution of the Changhe Z-10, developed by AVIC and Changhe Aircraft Industries Corporation as China’s dedicated medium-weight attack helicopter. The “ME” configuration incorporates more powerful WZ-9C turboshaft engines, infrared-suppressing upward-canted exhausts, and appliqué ceramic/graphene armour around the cockpit and engines to improve survivability in high-threat environments. Its defensive suite typically includes radar and laser warning receivers, ultraviolet missile-approach warning sensors and directional infrared countermeasures (DIRCM), reflecting lessons from the proliferation of shoulder-fired surface-to-air missiles on modern battlefields.
On the offensive side, the Z-10ME family combines a 23 mm chin-mounted cannon with six wing hardpoints able to carry guided and unguided rockets, anti-tank guided missiles (ATGMs) such as HJ-10/AKD-10 or CM-502KG, and TY-90 short-range air-to-air missiles. Public technical reporting points to a maximum take-off weight around 7.2 tonnes, a speed close to 300 km/h, and an operational ceiling in the 6,000 m class, with a combat radius sufficient to cover likely engagement zones along the Line of Control and other high-altitude sectors. These characteristics are designed to give Pakistan a purpose-built anti-armour and close air support asset optimised for mountainous terrain and long loiter over the battlefield.
For Pakistan, bringing this Chinese platform into service has been the end point of a long and complex procurement trajectory. Islamabad briefly tested earlier Z-10 prototypes in 2015 but declined them at the time, citing engine performance shortfalls. Subsequent efforts to acquire US AH-1Z Vipers and Turkish T129 ATAK helicopters were blocked by engine export constraints amid deteriorating relations with Washington, forcing Pakistan to seek a solution free of Western supply leverage. That gap has now been filled by the Z-10ME, with Pakistan identified as the type’s first export customer; the Army formally inducted the helicopters in August 2025 at Multan Garrison, where Field Marshal Asim Munir oversaw a live-fire demonstration at Muzaffargarh Field Firing Ranges. Raad ul Fatah therefore, marks the next step: transitioning from induction-range demonstrations to employment in a high-tempo, multi-domain exercise.
Opposite the Chinese-built gunships in the same formations were Pakistan’s Bell AH-1F Cobras, a distinctly American product that has been in Pakistani service since the mid-1980s. Between 1985 and 1986, the United States supplied around 40 AH-1S/F helicopters, later upgraded with thermal imaging systems. These platforms have since seen extensive use in counter-insurgency and UN missions, including deployments to Somalia and Sierra Leone, before being committed to internal security and border operations in Pakistan’s western regions. Light, narrow and armed with a 20 mm cannon and TOW-series anti-tank missiles, the Cobra remains a capable close support asset, even as fatigue, obsolescence and sustainment challenges gradually push it towards the end of its service life.
From an operational perspective, flying Chinese and US helicopters together in one strike package is not merely symbolic. It demonstrates that Pakistan Army Aviation has been able to integrate two very different ecosystems, Chinese digital avionics, weapons and data buses on the Z-10ME side, and older US-standard architecture on the AH-1F, into a common command-and-control and targeting framework. In a scenario like Raad ul Fatah, the Z-10ME-II, with its modern electro-optical sensors and networked weapons, can be tasked to locate and engage high-value armoured targets at range, while Cobras provide nearer-horizon suppression, mopping up exposed positions or securing flanks. In parallel, multirole fighter aircraft conduct interdiction, while guided rocket and artillery systems deliver standoff fires, and FPV and UCAV drones provide real-time reconnaissance and strike options against point targets.
The selection of the Tilla Firing Ranges underscores the gravity of the demonstration. Located near Jhelum, Tilla has long served as a premier testing and training complex, hosting missile trials, joint Army–Air Force firing exercises, and unmanned systems evaluations. Its proximity to potential high-intensity land theatres makes it a strategically significant venue. Conducting a comprehensive live-fire exercise there, in the presence of both domestic and international dignitaries, positions Raad ul Fatah not as a routine training event but as a proof-of-concept for multi-domain warfare. The attendance of Jordan’s King Abdullah II, whose armed forces operate a blend of Western-origin helicopters and armored platforms, adds a diplomatic layer, signaling Pakistan’s intent to showcase its evolving capabilities to regional partners while simultaneously strengthening its strategic alignment with China.
From a strategic perspective, the joint deployment of Chinese Z-10ME-II and American AH-1F helicopters reflects Pakistan’s broader defense posture. It illustrates a deliberate shift in the country’s combat aviation focus from Western to Chinese suppliers, driven by both technological advantages and the risks associated with sanctions. At the same time, it demonstrates Islamabad’s determination to maximize the operational utility of its remaining U.S.-origin assets rather than phasing them out prematurely. For potential adversaries, most notably India, which fields AH-64E Apache helicopters, the exercise conveys a clear message: Pakistan is bridging legacy gaps in its attack helicopter fleet with platforms tailored for high-altitude combat, while maintaining sufficient depth in its older systems to support sustained operations.
The exercise also has a signalling function towards external partners. For Beijing, seeing the Z-10ME-II operating in mixed formations under realistic combined-arms conditions is a valuable demonstration that its first export customer is integrating the platform at scale and in demanding tactical profiles, effectively serving as a showcase for future export campaigns. For Washington, the continued presence of AH-1F Cobras in frontline exercises, albeit alongside Chinese platforms that are gradually replacing them, underlines both the enduring legacy of US-origin kit in the Pakistan order of battle and the consequences of earlier export restrictions, which accelerated Islamabad’s pivot to Chinese systems.
Seen through a geostrategic lens, Raad ul Fatah and the first public appearance of the Z-10ME-II in such a setting amount to a carefully calibrated message: Pakistan is knitting together a mixed fleet of Chinese and American attack helicopters, backed by drones, artillery and armour, into a coherent, high-tempo strike capability designed for real-world contingencies. The visual of Chinese-built gunships and US-built Cobras sharing the same firing line over Tilla underscores not only a generational handover inside Pakistan Army Aviation, but also the country’s determination to diversify suppliers while maintaining operational continuity. As regional tensions remain volatile and air–land integration becomes central to modern conflict, this exercise signals that Pakistan intends to keep its deterrent posture active, its multi-origin warfighting machinery interoperable, and its attack helicopter arm ready to move from demonstration to deployment on short notice.
Written by Teoman S. Nicanci – Defense Analyst, Army Recognition Group
Teoman S. Nicanci holds degrees in Political Science, Comparative and International Politics, and International Relations and Diplomacy from leading Belgian universities, with research focused on Russian strategic behavior, defense technology, and modern warfare. He is a defense analyst at Army Recognition, specializing in the global defense industry, military armament, and emerging defense technologies.
