Chinese police helicopters, but make them a little more Chinese.

 Helicopters are a useful tool and, in many places, almost a requirement for modern policing. They provide a fast aerial perspective that ground officers simply cannot get. Typical missions include patrol and crime prevention, suspect pursuit, search and rescue (SAR), traffic monitoring, emergency response, and general surveillance. Fairly straightforward stuff.

When it comes to how China employs helicopters for its supposedly "civilian" People's Armed Police (PAP), however, things get turned up a notch.

Currently, the PAP operates five known helicopter squadrons. Their inventory includes the Z-20, Z-8, Mi-171and Z-9WA, all wearing the PAP's distinctive dark green color scheme. As the photos show, these aircraft are not exactly outfitted like your average police helicopter. In addition to nose-mounted FLIR systems, some examples now appear equipped with a Mast-Mounted Sight (MMS) system, the type of sensor typically associated with armed reconnaissance, target acquisition, artillery spotting, and guiding precision-guided weapons.

For most civilian police forces, an airborne unit is there to help track a fleeing suspect, locate a missing hiker, or provide overwatch during a major incident. For the PAP, the helicopter overhead may also be carrying AKD-10 air-to-ground missiles guided through that MMS.

Just another day keeping the peace and maintaining neighborhood harmony.

Because nothing says "crime deterrence" quite like the ability to engage a bicycle thief with an anti-armor missile.

PAP Aviation Organization

1st PAP Mobile Corps

• 1st Squadron
• 2nd Squadron
• 3rd Squadron

2nd PAP Mobile Corps

• 1st Squadron
• 2nd Squadron

The result is an aviation component that often looks less like a conventional police air support unit and more like a military helicopter force wearing a police badge. That's one of the many reminders that China's definition of "civilian law enforcement" tends to be a little different from everyone else's.

 

Sunday, May 17, 2020

CCTV Capture Of The Day: Xinjing PAP 2nd Mobile Corps now has an organic heliborne SpOps

Xinjiang PAP 2nd 总队 Mobile Corp is now confirmed with an organic heliborne SpOps team.  2nd Mobile Corp Helicopter Detachment has been operating a fleet of five Z-8 helicopters for over Since 2015, attaching a small SpOps team to it seems to be a logical next step.

Xinjing PAP 1st Mobile Corp operates a similar fleet of Z-8 helicopters, it would not be a surprise if it also commands a SpOs team as well. 

 WJ = PAP

 

Saturday, July 26, 2014

Ningxia People's Armed Police (WJ) commissions its first helcopter battalion.

It has been said that the PAP might enjoy a higher funding priority than the PLA ground force,  seeing the slow but steady growth rate of PAP's organic helicopter TOE, there could be some truth to that rumor.
 

The initial elements of the  Ningxia PAP (WJ) helicopter battalion composed of  3xZ-8WJ and 2xZ-9WJ.

Saturday, July 26, 2014

PAP (WJ) Shanxi helcopter battalion (Taiyuan)

Thank you Andrew KC for this information.


A total of 12 birds are expected.

Monday, July 20, 2020

PAP Unit Of The Day: 1st PAP Mobile Corps

The 1st People Armed Police Mobile Corps is commissioned with elements of the former PLA 63rd, 81st, 114th, 117th, 120th, 128th, and 187th divisions,  HQ-ed off Shijiazhuang Hebei Province, it is arguably one of the most "police ready" PAP Corps around, as such, they can be deployed to any Chinese city within short notice and in grand scale.

Elements from the 1st PAP to a training center in Xinjiang for "anti terror" drill over "1000 KM" away