China plans to sell 'combat, surveillance drones'
Jul 7, 2011 17:40:29 GMT -5
Post by PrisonerOfHope on Jul 7, 2011 17:40:29 GMT -5
China plans to sell 'combat, surveillance drones' to Pak, Middle East, Africa: Report
Arab Herald
Thursday 7th July, 2011
(ANI)
Washington, July 7ANI): With an accelerating drone industry, China is fast catching up to the United States and plans to sell combat and surveillance drones to Pakistan, the Middle East and Africa, according to a news report.
The large number of drones at recent exhibitions underlines not only China's determination to catch up in that sector by building equivalents to the leading US combat and surveillance models, the Predator and the Global Hawk, but also its desire to sell this technology abroad, The Washington Post reports.
According to the Aviation Industry Corp. of China, it has begun offering international customers a combat and surveillance drone comparable to the Predator called the Yilong, or "pterodactyl" in English.
Zhang Qiaoliang, a representative of the Chengdu Aircraft Design and Research Institute, which manufactures many of the most advanced military aircraft for the People's Liberation Army, said that the company anticipates sales in Pakistan, the Middle East and Africa.
"The United States doesn't export many attack drones, so we're taking advantage of that hole in the market," said Zhang Qiaoliang. "The main reason is the amazing demand in the market for drones after 9/11."
Pakistan has said it plans to obtain armed drones from China, which has already sold the nation ones for surveillance, the report said.
However, Zhang and others displaying drones at a recent Beijing anti-terrorism convention played down the threat of increasing Chinese drone technology.
"I don't think China's drone technology has reached the world's first-class level," said Wu Zilei, from the China Shipbuilding Industry Corp., echoing an almost constant refrain. "The reconnaissance drones are okay, but the attack drones are still years behind the United States."
But Richard Fisher, a senior fellow at the Washington-based International Assessment and Strategy Center, said that such statements are routine and intended to deflect concern about the nation's expanding military ambitions.
"The Chinese are catching up quickly. This is something we know for sure," Fisher said. "We should not take comfort in some perceived lags in sensors or satellites capabilities. Those are just a matter of time." (ANI)
story.arabherald.com/index.php/ct/9/cid/48fcf33f9aeb6130/id/807552/cs/1/ht/China-plans-to-sell-combat-surveillance-drones-to-Pak-Middle-East-Africa-Report/
Arab Herald
Thursday 7th July, 2011
(ANI)
Washington, July 7ANI): With an accelerating drone industry, China is fast catching up to the United States and plans to sell combat and surveillance drones to Pakistan, the Middle East and Africa, according to a news report.
The large number of drones at recent exhibitions underlines not only China's determination to catch up in that sector by building equivalents to the leading US combat and surveillance models, the Predator and the Global Hawk, but also its desire to sell this technology abroad, The Washington Post reports.
According to the Aviation Industry Corp. of China, it has begun offering international customers a combat and surveillance drone comparable to the Predator called the Yilong, or "pterodactyl" in English.
Zhang Qiaoliang, a representative of the Chengdu Aircraft Design and Research Institute, which manufactures many of the most advanced military aircraft for the People's Liberation Army, said that the company anticipates sales in Pakistan, the Middle East and Africa.
"The United States doesn't export many attack drones, so we're taking advantage of that hole in the market," said Zhang Qiaoliang. "The main reason is the amazing demand in the market for drones after 9/11."
Pakistan has said it plans to obtain armed drones from China, which has already sold the nation ones for surveillance, the report said.
However, Zhang and others displaying drones at a recent Beijing anti-terrorism convention played down the threat of increasing Chinese drone technology.
"I don't think China's drone technology has reached the world's first-class level," said Wu Zilei, from the China Shipbuilding Industry Corp., echoing an almost constant refrain. "The reconnaissance drones are okay, but the attack drones are still years behind the United States."
But Richard Fisher, a senior fellow at the Washington-based International Assessment and Strategy Center, said that such statements are routine and intended to deflect concern about the nation's expanding military ambitions.
"The Chinese are catching up quickly. This is something we know for sure," Fisher said. "We should not take comfort in some perceived lags in sensors or satellites capabilities. Those are just a matter of time." (ANI)
story.arabherald.com/index.php/ct/9/cid/48fcf33f9aeb6130/id/807552/cs/1/ht/China-plans-to-sell-combat-surveillance-drones-to-Pak-Middle-East-Africa-Report/
