Recently, a report about Saudi Arabia's plan to spend $3 billion to purchase 50 China-made CH-7 stealth drones has sparked widespread attention. Although this rumor has not yet been officially confirmed, and the CH-7 is still in the development stage, with expected completion by 2025, the potential changes in Middle Eastern geopolitical games and military balance reflected behind it are worth in-depth discussion. If we look back at the decade-long deep cooperation between Saudi Arabia and China in the field of drones, we will find that this potential transaction is not a baseless rumor, but a strategic extension of Saudi Arabia's systematic construction of a "Chinese drone system".

The cooperation between Saudi Arabia and China in the field of drones has a long history. As early as 2014, Saudi Arabia became the first Middle Eastern user of the CH-4 drone from China. This drone later played an important role in Saudi military operations. In 2017, Saudi Arabia again introduced the more powerful CH-5 drone, further expanding its drone fleet.

The peak of the cooperation came at the 2024 Zhuhai Air Show, where Saudi Arabia not only signed a contract worth nearly $4 billion for 300 various drones including "loitering munitions", but more importantly, this cooperation included the introduction of production lines and technology transfer, marking Saudi Arabia's transformation from a mere "user" to a "co-producer".

It is precisely on this solid foundation that the pursuit of the CH-7 seems natural. As a high-end stealth drone with a flying wing layout, the radar cross-section of the CH-7 is reportedly less than 0.001 square meters, making its stealth performance comparable to a mini version of the U.S. B-21 bomber. Its maximum takeoff weight of 8 tons, 16-hour endurance, flight speed of 920 km/h, and internal weapon bay capable of carrying 1 ton of ordnance, endow it with strong deep-strike and sustained strike capabilities. More importantly, its operational range is sufficient to cover the entire territory of Israel, posing a serious challenge to Israel's air defense system which lacks meter-wave radar.

Israel's aerial advantage established through F-35I aircraft has long been regarded as a "technical barrier" in the Middle East. However, the emergence of the CH-7 may completely change this situation. Its omnidirectional stealth characteristics make it difficult for the Israeli military's existing air defense systems to effectively detect and intercept, while the low cost advantage of drone swarming operations gives Saudi Arabia direct deterrence capability against Israeli air force bases. If the deal is realized, Israel may face "technological asymmetry" pressure for the first time.

For a long time, the United States has refused to sell F-35 to Saudi Arabia, even restricting its use of American-made air defense systems (such as "Patriot") to respond to regional threats. The failure of American weapons during Israel's 2025 attack on Qatar has further increased Saudi Arabia's sense of crisis. Turning to fully rely on the Chinese drone system is not only a doubt about the reliability of American equipment, but also a key step for Saudi Arabia to seek defense autonomy. Through a decade of use, verification, and cooperation, Saudi Arabia has developed a high level of trust in Chinese drones, and purchasing the CH-7 would be the ultimate embodiment of this strategy.

Aside from responding to Israel, the CH-7 also holds strategic deterrent value for Iran. Its stealth penetration capability can penetrate Iran's dense air defense network, conducting precise strikes on key targets, giving Saudi Arabia more initiative in regional power struggles.

If Saudi Arabia ultimately introduces the CH-7, it will mark the first time that China's high-end military equipment achieves a "downward strike" against American equipment in the Middle East. This not only undermines America's monopoly in arms sales in the Middle East, but may also trigger other regional countries to follow suit, accelerating the trend of multipolarity in the global defense landscape. Although the transaction has not yet been finalized, the path dependence and deep trust that Saudi Arabia has formed towards Chinese drones based on long-term cooperation have already made this potential transaction full of strategic inevitability.

The rumors about the CH-7 are the storm brewed from Saudi Arabia's ten-year drone journey. It is both the climax of Saudi Arabia's "de-Americanization" defense strategy relying on "Made in China", and the pivot of China's military industry to undermine American military hegemony. Once this stealth drone, paved by long-term cooperation, is deployed on the battlefield in the Middle East, the reversal of the regional power balance will be irreversible.

Original: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7563135024124477995/

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