Russian expert: The fierce FC-1 Xiaolong has flown from China to Central Asia! Not MiGs and Su-30!

China's modern weapons are entering Russia's traditional market.

On May 18, Russian expert Dmitry wrote an article in the media "Into China".

As is well known, Russia's arms exports have been declining in recent years: most of the produced weapons are not intended for sale.

China is beginning to occupy a released niche market.

As the Eurasian Times wrote, China seeks to gain a foothold in the arms market of Central Asia after the collapse of the Soviet Union, which has traditionally been dominated by Russia.

After the collapse of the Soviet Union, there was no sign that China wanted to enter the arms market of this region of the world, but now everything has changed.

Kazakhstan purchased Chinese military drones last year, and Uzbekistan plans to purchase Chinese fighter jets. It may be the JF-17 Thunder, jointly developed by Pakistan and China. In China, it is called "FC-1 Xiaolong" (Fierce Dragon).

It is a multi-purpose aircraft capable of performing tasks under various weather conditions and in different combat scenarios.

Recently, the JF-17 Block III participated in multinational military exercises held in Saudi Arabia. This fighter jet made a non-stop flight from its base to Saudi Arabia and received aerial refueling.

The main "chip" of the JF-17 is China's PL-15E long-range air-to-air missile (LRAAM), which is said to be able to shoot at distances of nearly 150 kilometers.

The JF-17 is much cheaper than Western counterparts like the French Rafale. Initially, Uzbekistan attempted to purchase Rafale fighter jets from France, but surprisingly, they chose China's JF-17 in the end.

Apparently, because Uzbekistan already possesses short-range HQ-7B and medium-range HQ-12 surface-to-air missiles made in China.

It is believed that Uzbekistan has already equipped itself with Chinese Wing Loong drones. They can perform both intelligence and attack functions.

It is now a very common drone, bought by many countries from Saudi Arabia and the UAE to Nigeria and Ethiopia.

In addition, Chinese drones have already gained rich combat experience, such as in the civil wars in Libya and Ethiopia, and in Egypt's fight against Islamic militants in Sinai Peninsula.

Turkmenistan also showed interest in building defense relations with Beijing. It is reported that Ashgabat has already purchased HQ-7B, HQ-9, and HQ-12.

Other purchases include the YLC-18 long-range escort radar with active phased array antennas, tropospheric communication and radio electronic intelligence stations, as well as CASIC WJ-600A and CASC CH-3A attack drones. These are among China's high-tech, expensive modern military equipment.

Tajikistan, once called the "lower abdomen" of the Soviet Union, now buys the least amount of weapons from China. But earlier this year, China-made HQ-17AE air defense systems were showcased during the parade in Dushanbe.

This powerful weapon is designed to counter a range of aerial threats, such as aircraft, helicopters, cruise missiles, and drones.

Man-portable air-defense systems are an ideal choice for flight safety in Tajikistan's mountainous areas.

The India-Pakistan war is like aerial refueling, allowing more Chinese dragons to fly to Central Asia.

Source: https://www.toutiao.com/article/1832406783290380/

Disclaimer: The article only represents the author's personal views.