A Z-10 attack helicopter of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) participates in the China-Pakistan Warrior-IX joint counterterrorism exercise in Pakistan in December 2025. Photo: Screenshot from China Military Bugle, an official media account under the PLA News Media Center

Star weaponry and equipment including unmanned equipment and the Z-10 attack helicopter participated in the China-Pakistan Warrior-IX joint counterterrorism exercise, which wrapped up last week in Pakistan, official Chinese media reported on Monday.

Since the training kicked off in early December, the Chinese and Pakistani militaries have conducted joint training in an integrated formation mode, with the backdrop of combating terrorism and the theme of "joint counterterrorism sweeping and strike operations". They have jointly completed training subjects including mountain area clearance, hostage rescue, and coordinated fire strikes, China Military Bugle, an official media account under the PLA News Media Center, reported on Monday.

In the final phase of the exercise, the Chinese and Pakistani participating troops launched a full-process, full-element live-ammunition field exercise. The two sides jointly organized combined air-land operations, deploying multiple types of unmanned equipment including medium-and-high-altitude long-endurance drones, drone swarms, loitering munitions and explosive ordnance disposal robots to conduct combat missions such as reconnaissance and surveillance, blockading and control, zone clearance, and in-depth pursuit and annihilation against mock targets, per China Military Bugle.

Chinese military affairs expert Song Zhongping told the Global Times that the PLA is increasingly deploying unmanned equipment in drills, including joint drills with foreign militaries. This indicates that China’s use of unmanned equipment is getting more and more mature.

Photos and videos show that the PLA Army’s Z-10 attack helicopters participated in the joint exercise.

According to media reports in August, the Pakistani military has also inducted the Chinese-made Z-10ME attack helicopter.

When asked to comment on media reports that the Pakistani military has inducted the Chinese-made Z-10ME attack helicopter to advance the modernization of its defense equipment, Jiang Bin, spokesperson for the Ministry of National Defense, said in August that China is willing to share the achievements of its equipment development with friendly countries, including Pakistan.

China-Pakistan defense and security cooperation is not aimed at any third party and is committed to maintaining international and regional security and stability, said Jiang.

Chinese military affairs expert Fu Qianshao told the Global Times that the Z-10 attack helicopter is particularly suitable for anti-terrorism operations in Pakistan, as the helicopter can take advantage of its fast response capability, hover in the air and attack terrorists with strong firepower.

The closing ceremony of the joint exercise was held at Pakistan’s National Counter Terrorism Centre Pabbi on Friday, with the Chinese participating troops setting off for their return trip and returned to their units in China by Sunday in multiple batches via air transport, army aviation transport, and drone aerial relocation, according to the China Military Bugle report.