China: A rising drone weapons dealer to the world |
Along with Iraq, several Middle Eastern states have purchased China's weaponized drone technology. Saudi Arabia, Egypt and the UAE have all reportedly imported armed drones from China, as have Nigeria and, some suspect, Somalia (the Somali army admits to having purchased armed drones, though it won't disclose the seller). Iraq and Pakistan have used them in combat, launching strikes at militants within their own borders.
Is Pakistan Secretly Testing a New Chinese Killer Drone? | The Diplomat
Pakistan considered procuring the Wing Loong UAV in the late 2000s; however, the PAF opted for the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation’s (CASC) CH-3A instead. Both the Wing Loong and CH-3A are medium altitude long-endurance (MALE) UAVs, capable of firing laser-guided air-to-surface missiles.
China Unveils Next-Generation Wing Loong II Drone |
In terms of size and payload, the Wing Loong UAV is comparable to the smaller General Atomics MQ-1 Predator. However, Chengdu Aircraft Corporation has been working on a larger second-generation Wing Loong II combat UAV, purportedly capable of carrying up to 12 air-to-surface missiles. According to some analysts, the Wing Loong UAV is equipped with a much weaker engine than either the Predator or Reaper and consequently has a more limited range and speed in comparison to U.S. models.
See Pakistan’s New Deadly Drones - India Real Time - WSJ |
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