SHANGHAI: An undisclosed buyer has placedthe largest overseas order for China´s home-developed militarydrones, the Xinhua news agency has reported, in a boost for theChinese arms industry´s efforts to increase export volumes.
The order for the Wing Loong II was placed before thenext-generation unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) successfullycompleted its maiden flight, Xinhua said late on Monday, citingthe system´s developer Chengdu Aircraft Design and ResearchInstitute.
It did not identify the buyer or the size of the order.The Wing Loong II, which has wingspan of more than 20 metres(65 feet), is a medium-altitude, long-endurance UAV that hasboth reconnaissance and strike capabilities.
It conducted a 31-minute flight for the first time on Mondayafter taking off from a runway in western China."Its flight marks China´s new generation reconnaissance andstrike UAV.
Following the United States, China becomes anothercountry capable of developing such new-generation, largereconnaissance and strike UAV," said Li Yidong, chief designerof the series, whose programme is overseen by the state-ownedAviation Industry Corp of China.
China has been stepping up research into military drones inthe hope that it can steal market share from the United Statesand Israel with its cheaper technology and willingness to sellto countries that Western states are reluctant to deal with.
The Wing Loong II´s predecessor sells for just $1 millionaccording to Chinese media reports.The U.S.-made MQ-9 Reaper,to which it has sometimes been compared, is priced at around $30million.
China has previously had limited success exporting mannedmilitary aircraft but is hoping to do better with UAVs, giventhat they are cheaper and easier to manufacture.
Foreign buyersfor its drones include Nigeria, Pakistan and Egypt.China´s military modernisation has rattled nerves around theregion with increasingly assertive moves to bolster itssovereignty claims in the South China Sea and over Taiwan, whichit regards as a breakaway province.
It showed off its Chengdu J-20 stealth fighter in public forthe first time in November and months earlier put into service anew, domestically developed large transport aircraft.