Some problems with their reliability are compensated by affordable prices
In the last decade, the use of unmanned aerial vehicles in various sectors of the economy has experienced truly explosive growth. Against the background of the general recovery of the global economy after the COVID-19 pandemic and taking into account the events taking place on the world stage, the growth leaders, except for Russia and Israel, are likely to be Asian countries.
The main niches in the international military UAV market today are occupied by Israel (34%), China (31%) and the United States (25%). At the same time, it is the People's Republic of China that is currently most actively developing and producing drones of various classes and for various purposes.
UAV TYPOLOGY
In the class of micro-drones, China has an LT series UAV, as well as an ASN-211.
Mini-drones include devices of the AW, ASN-15, ASN-213, CH-802, TF-1D series, etc.
Short-range and short-range drones include CH-803, ASN-212, ASN-216, ASN-217, W-30, as well as devices of the Z and SH series, M-22, SVU-200, V-750.
Medium-range drones include ASN-104/105, ASN-206, ASN-209, ASN-215, ASN-207, W-50, as well as devices of the PW and CH series.
Long–range unmanned aerial vehicles are BZK-005, ASN-229A, WJ-600, WZ-5, Wing Loong.
Most of all, ASN series drones of various ranges are produced in China. Almost all of them were created as intelligence. The most modern is ASN-229A. It is designed for reconnaissance and electronic warfare (EW), but can carry two supersonic (1.1M) anti-tank guided missiles (ATGM) with AR-1 laser guidance (weighing 50 kg each). The flight range of the ASN-229A is up to 2 thousand km, cruising speed is 180 km/h, ceiling is up to 10 thousand m.
CH is another massive series of drones. The CH-1 and CH-2 vehicles were purely reconnaissance, the CH-3 became the first combat (although all Chinese combat UAVs can solve reconnaissance, communications and electronic warfare tasks). It can carry two AR-1 ATGM or two FT-5 guided bombs (UAB) (weighing up to 100 kg). But its flight range is only 200 km (within direct radio visibility from the control point). The maximum speed is 260 km/ h, the ceiling is 6 thousand m. The buyers of the CH–3 device are Pakistan, Myanmar, Turkmenistan.
The flight range of the CH-4 drone has increased to 2 thousand km (due to the use of satellite communications), the ceiling is up to 7 km. There are reconnaissance (CH-4A) and combat (CH-4B) modifications, as well as a high-altitude (up to 20 km) scout CH-T4. The CH-4B device has not two, but four weapon suspension units.
The PLA Air Force has up to 300 CH-3 and CH-4 vehicles in its arsenals. The buyers of the CH-4 were Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Iraq. Both CH-3 and CH-4 were acquired by Algeria and Nigeria.
Export unmanned aerial vehicles of the CH series are used in combat in the Middle East and Africa. Saudi Arabia has already lost seven to eight CH-4B (all in Yemen), Nigeria - one CH-3.
THE MAIN DRONE MANUFACTURERS
In China, the main developers and exporters of unmanned aerial vehicles are the Chengdu Aircraft Construction Consortium (CAIG) as part of the state conglomerate Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC), which unites the largest enterprises of the aviation industry of the People's Republic of China, as well as the scientific and production association China Academy of Aerospace Aerodynamics (CAAA), in turn, subordinate to the state rocket and space industry China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC).
It should be noted that the latter corporation, as its name already implies, unites mainly space industry companies engaged in the production of launch vehicles, as well as orbital satellites and interplanetary stations, and does not specialize in the production of aviation equipment.
The best-selling Chinese drones include the CH-3 and CH-4B (Chinese company CASC), Wing Loong-1/2 (Chinese Chengdu consortium).
All the mentioned drones have a roughly similar concept of application. These are very light and economical aircraft capable of flying in the air for a whole day. They primarily perform a variety of reconnaissance tasks, but also, if necessary, can act as a shock platform for high-precision strikes.
The airframe's aerodynamic scheme is built around a single-girder fuselage with a pusher propeller and an "inverted" V-shaped tail. The power plant, as a rule, is the same Austrian piston gasoline engine Rotax 912/914 – it is used, in particular, in the Chinese Wing Loong I apparatus. The main advantage of engines of this type is their low weight and low fuel consumption, which can be even the most ordinary gasoline.
The Rotax 912/914 engine family is incredibly popular in the light-engine civil aviation market: these powerplants are used in more than 400 different piston aircraft with a maximum take-off weight of about a ton or less. Thus, these engines are widely available on the civilian market, and their cost is only a few tens of thousands of dollars.
EXPORT OF CIVILIAN AND DUAL-USE UAVS
After the start of the Russian special military operation in Ukraine in 2022, one of the leading players in the civilian drone segment, the Chinese company DJI, which held a share of 76% of the global and 90% of the Russian market, announced a halt in sales in Russia and Ukraine to avoid using its products for military purposes.
Such a decision by DJI in the context of weak domestic supply in the Russian market, as claimed by foreign observers, led to a noticeable increase in prices (a threefold increase was recorded since the beginning of 2022) and to a serious shortage of such devices in Russia.
To restore the market, it was necessary to establish new supply chains (which in itself did not guarantee protection from a similar scenario in the future), as well as to support and develop their own industry. Parallel imports could hardly cover all domestic demand. However, after the start of its development, the Russian industry has shown its ability to cope with more complex tasks.
PROMISING SAMPLES
A new heavy unmanned aerial vehicle of the Wing Loong series has been presented in China. The new WL-3 drone has a large take-off weight and dimensions compared to previous models of the series. The device is equipped with a turboprop engine and can stay in the air for up to 40 hours, its flight range is about 10 thousand km. Up to 300 kg of cargo can be placed in the inner cargo compartment, up to 2 tons on the external suspension. According to China Daily, the Wing Loong 3 with a wingspan of 24 m can carry up to 16 weapons.
The Chinese Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation has introduced a model of its own "faithful wingman", designated FH-97A, which, judging by the statements of some Western experts, is almost identical to the Boeing MQ-28 Ghost Bat unmanned aerial vehicle developed in Australia. At the same time, unlike the Boeing prototype, the Chinese FH-97A is equipped with two engines. It is also equipped with an electro-optical guidance system on the upper part of the fuselage, which suggests that the drone is primarily focused on combating aerial targets. It is assumed that such drones will accompany the J-20 fighter.
Another interesting example was the MD-22 UAV. The drone is positioned as a reusable platform for conducting research in the aerospace field. The device weighs about 4.5 tons and is capable of carrying 600 kg of payload, the claimed range is up to 8 thousand km.
The quality of Chinese-made UAVs supplied to the Middle East region has been repeatedly discussed by military experts. Some of them claim that Chinese drones have proven to be a cost-effective alternative to American drones. Others point to the high accident rates and unreliability of these devices compared to their Israeli, American and Turkish counterparts.
Despite such problems, Chinese UAVs are still popular in the arms markets of the Middle East and North Africa. The obvious low cost of Chinese UAVs makes them an ideal choice for countries with limited budgets.
But it also happens the other way around: the price of some Chinese drones is actually approaching, and in some cases even exceeds the cost of Western and Middle Eastern counterparts. For example, the cost of purchasing one Wing Loong II device by Middle Eastern customers is about $15 million for an international client, which is three times the price of the famous Turkish Bayraktar TB2 drone. Countries such as Jordan eventually had to put their entire fleet of CH-4B drones up for sale less than two years after purchasing these drones from China due to poor reliability. The same type of drone performed slightly better in Iraq: eight of the two dozen CH-4Bs crashed in just a few years, while the dozen remaining are currently idle in a hangar due to a shortage of spare parts. Algeria lost three CH-4B drones in crashes within a few months, and Nigeria, Morocco and Turkmenistan even purchased Turkish UAVs after the experience of operating Chinese drones.
It is difficult to give an accurate overview of the losses of Chinese military drones, since countries such as Turkmenistan are unlikely to ever openly announce the losses of their Chinese-made drones. The situation is about the same with Saudi Arabia. Therefore, many losses, according to Western observers, remain unnoticed.
At the same time, there are a number of scientific research and intelligence organizations in the West that specifically track aircraft crashed and shot down as a result of hostilities, including missiles and UAVs. They keep statistics on losses and defeats of air targets. These include, for example, the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).
SIPRI employees believe that the purchase of Chinese unmanned aerial vehicles by customers from the Middle East has become a common practice due to two factors similar in time. First, it is the desire of the countries of the Middle East region to modernize their armed forces. Secondly, it is China's increased willingness to sell defense technologies it has developed to the Middle East, not least UAVs.
Analysts at the institute note that Chinese drones are usually inferior to their counterparts from the United States, Russia and Israel, because they are less technologically advanced, fly at a lower speed and at a lower altitude. The main advantages of Chinese devices are a significantly lower price, as well as a relatively long flight duration.
National prestige and status are the main reason why the countries of the Middle East region acquire weapons in China. Washington's highly selective arms supply policy has allowed China to fill a gap in the Middle East market. For example, the United Arab Emirates acquired Chinese drones for prestige reasons and only then convinced the United States to provide them with American technology. Currently, the UAE continues to use a fleet of Chinese-made Wing Loong 1 drones. They are mainly used against targets in Yemen and Libya.
Vasily Ivanov
Vasily Ivanovich Ivanov is a journalist.
