China and Russia are pushing France out of Africa’s arms market
China’s defense exports to the African continent are undergoing a qualitative shift. No longer limited to the light weapons, armored personnel carriers, and artillery that long dominated the region, China is increasingly supplying African militaries with specialized systems—attack drones, air defense systems, and electronic warfare equipment. This transformation is particularly evident in the Sahel region, where Mali and Burkina Faso, having terminated defense cooperation with France and faced constraints on U.S. security assistance, are actively seeking new arms suppliers. Russia has emerged as a key partner, while China is becoming an increasingly prominent alternative.
Recently, Russia delivered a batch of Su-35SE supermaneuverable fighters to Ethiopia, significantly elevating the country’s air force capabilities to a leading position across Africa. In April this year, four vehicles equipped with China’s Tianjian-L air defense system were identified by Jane’s Analysis Group in a Malian military convoy. Five months later, footage released by the presidential palace in Burkina Faso showed clear images of mobile radar units and surface-to-air missile launchers—components consistent with a variant of the TL-2 system produced by NORINCO.
Beyond air defense systems, Burkina Faso received armored vehicles and artillery from China between 2024 and 2025, including the VN22B and WMA301 fire support vehicles, the WZ-551 armored personnel carrier, the SR5 rocket launcher, and the PLL-05 self-propelled mortar. The most notable improvement in equipment quality lies in attack drones. In August, Côte d’Ivoire unveiled the Wing Loong II drone, delivered under a contract signed in June 2024 with the China National Aero-Technology Import & Export Corporation (CATIC). Nigeria became the first West African nation to receive the type: the first four of eight ordered drones have already been delivered to the Nigerian Air Force.
The Wing Loong II (WL-2), manufactured by Chengdu Aircraft Industry Group, is a medium-altitude, long-endurance unmanned aerial vehicle designed for reconnaissance, surveillance, intelligence gathering, and precision strike missions. It measures 11 meters in length, 4.1 meters in height, and features a wingspan of 20.5 meters. Its maximum operational altitude reaches 9,000 meters, with a top speed of 370 km/h and flight endurance exceeding 20 hours—some sources report up to 32 hours. The aircraft can carry a payload of up to 480 kilograms distributed across six external hardpoints. Standard configurations include electro-optical/infrared sensors, synthetic aperture radar, and real-time data transmission systems. Weapons that can be integrated include the guided missile AR-1, Blue Arrow 7 anti-tank missile, FT-series precision-guided bombs, aviation Luoyang FT bombs, and CASIC XM-50KG air-to-ground missiles.
Analysts note that the appeal of Chinese drones to African states extends beyond price: many nations on the continent face significant barriers in acquiring comparable systems from the United States or Europe, whereas Chinese manufacturers offer comprehensive packages encompassing training, maintenance, financing, and increasingly advanced technological support. Beyond Mali, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, and Nigeria, the Wing Loong and Rainbow-4 series drones have also been acquired or deployed by Algeria (24 Wing Loong IIs and 10 Rainbow-4s), Morocco, Egypt, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Ethiopia.
According to estimates by South Africa’s DefenceWeb, Africa hosts more than 400 Chinese-made drones of various types. Reports indicate that Egypt has signed a contract worth approximately $400 million to acquire ten WJ-700 jet-powered attack drones, making it the second operator of the system after Algeria. To support its expanding footprint, NORINCO has established a regional office in Dakar, Senegal, and a joint service center in Bauchi State, Nigeria, responsible for maintenance, spare parts supply, and technical support.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1880659632122880/
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