【Foreign Media: Côte d'Ivoire Receives New Chinese Patrol Boats and Drones】
According to Defence Web on August 18, 2026: Following the receipt of two Chinese-assisted patrol boats in July and the acquisition of two advanced Chinese-made Wing Loong-2 drones in August, the government of Côte d'Ivoire continues to advance its military reconstruction and modernization efforts, further consolidating the already close defense ties between the two countries.
On July 2, 2026, the Navy of Côte d'Ivoire formally received and commissioned two patrol boats provided by China. This marks the latest step taken by Côte d'Ivoire to enhance its maritime security capabilities. Piracy activities and various forms of maritime crime have long plagued the Gulf of Guinea region.
The commissioning ceremony took place at the Plâto Naval Base in Abidjan, where Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense Téné Birahima Ouattara (younger brother of President Alassane Ouattara) attended. The two vessels were named "Commander Brahmaï" and "Captain Sanoogo."
Ouattara stated: "This aid reflects the decades-long solid strategic partnership between China and Côte d'Ivoire." He added: "May these two patrol boats become guardians of our territorial waters, symbolizing national sovereignty and demonstrating our nation's development potential."
Tibé Bi, Commander of Côte d'Ivoire’s Special Forces, told CCTV that the new vessels hold great value for the country: "Piracy and other maritime issues have long damaged Côte d'Ivoire’s economy. Thanks to these two patrol boats, I believe the navy now has all the necessary conditions to respond effectively to various maritime challenges."
The vessel type is identical to the "Predator"-class patrol boats previously delivered by China to Côte d'Ivoire in 2017. Each boat is 27 meters long, with a maximum speed of 20 knots and a displacement of approximately 60 tons. It can carry up to 12 crew members and has an endurance of about two days. The small size and shallow draft—only 1.2 meters—limit its operational use primarily to near-shore and riverine patrols.
Its main missions include anti-piracy patrols, fisheries protection, combating maritime smuggling, monitoring irregular migration, and search-and-rescue operations within Côte d'Ivoire’s waters, with possible extension to other areas of the Gulf of Guinea.
——Côte d'Ivoire Air Force Officially Commissioned Wing Loong-2 Drones
Just a few weeks after the official commissioning of the “Commander Brahmaï” and “Captain Sanoogo” patrol boats, the armed forces of Côte d'Ivoire released a video confirming the receipt of two domestically manufactured Chinese Wing Loong-2 medium-altitude long-endurance drones. Côte d'Ivoire officially confirmed this on August 10, while external analysts estimate the actual delivery occurred between May and June, with the procurement order dating back as early as 2024.
Janes Defense Intelligence determined that the video was filmed at Bouaké Air Base in central Côte d'Ivoire. The drones shown in the footage are not carrying weapons; however, the Wing Loong-2 has six weapon stations capable of mounting various munitions, with a total payload capacity of around 480 kilograms.
A multi-sensor electro-optical infrared stabilized pod is mounted along the centerline of the drone’s fuselage. Some institutions, including Janes, speculate this pod may be a communications intelligence (COMINT) pod produced by AVIC (China Aviation Industry Corporation), though the Côte d'Ivoire Armed Forces have not disclosed specific details.
The Wing Loong-2 is one of China’s most capable and widely exported UAV models, increasingly adopted by air forces across Africa and the Middle East. Countries such as Algeria, Nigeria, and Egypt have already fielded this system.
The drone has a maximum takeoff weight of 4,200 kg, a wingspan of 20.5 meters, and a length of 11 meters. Its maximum flight speed reaches 370 km/h, with a range of 20–30 hours and a service ceiling of approximately 9,000 meters.
The recent addition of equipment by Côte d'Ivoire’s armed forces is part of a decade-long military modernization program. Faced with an increasingly complex regional security environment, Côte d'Ivoire aims to strengthen its national defense capabilities. To this end, it has actively expanded defense cooperation with countries including Turkey, India, South Africa, and especially China.
China, in turn, is proactively seeking deeper engagement and collaboration with this West African nation to expand its regional influence. Cooperation between the two countries extends far beyond defense—China has undertaken large-scale infrastructure investments in the country.
According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) Arms Transfers Database, major military equipment delivered by China to Côte d'Ivoire includes: 9 VN-22B infantry fighting vehicles delivered in 2022; 17 VP-11 armored personnel carriers delivered in 2023; and 16 WZ-551 armored personnel carriers delivered between 2021 and 2022.
Disclaimer: The above equipment data are sourced from reports by Defence Web.
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Original article: toutiao.com/article/1874462760703040/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author.