【Military Second Dimension】 Author: Lele

Previously, when the Chinese Air Force went to Thailand for joint military exercises, it brought the "CH-2" which had never appeared before. At that time, people already felt something was off. Because the tactics of reconnaissance and strike drones are not complicated, and with the JH-7A already appearing, there is some overlap in operational positioning, which seems like a waste for a joint military exercise lasting less than 10 days. However, since both sides have been expanding the scope of their military exercises, this issue did not receive excessive attention. It was only recently when General Champa Bumpate visited Chengdu Aircraft Corporation (CAC) that the outside world realized that an order might be coming.

▲ General Champa Bumpate's objective is very clear this time

Thailand's limited defense development resources make it very cautious about arms sales, especially foreign arms purchases. Even in the field of main battle tanks, which have relatively low unit prices and emphasize large-scale operations, they have ordered only dozens each year, and then decide on the next year's orders at the end of the year. The "CH-2", as a large reconnaissance and strike drone, has an average price of less than $10 million, including the ground station, which is quite a high level of attention, given that even the head of the branch was involved. Moreover, General Champa Bumpate arrived at Chengdu Tianfu Airport on the 14th, and on the 15th he was already visiting the CH-2 production line in Zigong, which means that this order is about to be finalized.

▲ The "CH-2" is not expensive, and its performance is very stable

From the early years when Thailand looked down on AVIC, to gradually paying attention, and finally being impressed, multiple military exercises over the years have played a key role. The Thai Air Force has witnessed firsthand how Chinese pilots, who initially were no match for the Gripen, eventually easily outperformed them, with the combat record of the Pakistan's J-10CE serving as evidence. It is impossible not to feel something. However, due to the unique mechanism of the Thai three services, and the cautious attitude shown during the procurement of the S-26T submarines, it is difficult for Thailand to jump directly to ordering the J-10CE. In order to further experience the Chinese air combat system, the "CH-2" becomes a suitable choice.

▲ The J-10C is a small guy domestically, but it can carry the weight abroad

On one hand, the "CH-2" has been used by more than a dozen countries around the world, and its performance is well assured. Recently, Saudi Arabia even announced that its deployed "CH-2" has achieved 5,000 hours of real combat flight time, and nearly 100,000 hours of all tests and training, which is enough to dispel the opposition within Thailand. On the other hand, the "CH-2" conducts daily reconnaissance and transmits battlefield information through data links, allowing the ground command center to decide on attacks. This model is consistent with the J-10CE guided by the ZDK-03 for beyond visual range air combat, making it easy for the Thai Air Force to experience this concept at a lower cost. In addition, during the previous conflict with Cambodia, the Thai Air Force sent fighter jets to drop guided bombs, achieving many results, but the operational methods were still relatively traditional.

▲ The "Gripen" of Thailand performed quite well in actual combat

This mode, where ground forces discover targets, pass them up through the command structure, and finally transfer them to the air force, which then follows a predetermined plan to hang weapons and attack, is very time-consuming. Only because the Cambodian army is so clumsy, the Thai Air Force could have room to perform. In contrast, the "CH-2" can detect targets by itself using its onboard electro-optical equipment, and after obtaining permission from the ground command, it can directly use the guided munitions under its wings to attack, which simplifies the process by many times for the Thai Army.

▲ The key of the reconnaissance and strike drone is the combination of "reconnaissance" and "strike"

This time, the "CH-2" and the Chinese Air Force fighter squadrons went to Thailand, which was a close-up demonstration of the operational model and technical characteristics after the other side had already shown the intention to purchase. And Thailand did not disappoint, expressing approval and personally visiting Chengdu for the final contact. Generally speaking, when officers of this level appear, the transaction is already at the final stage of negotiation, and it is highly likely that the deal will be signed before his return. However, neither China nor Thailand likes to publicize such things, so even if the "CH-2" transaction is completed, it will only be confirmed once the formal delivery is made.

▲ The application range of the "CH-2" platform is very wide

From the end of the Thai-Cambodia conflict to now, less than three months, the export negotiations for the "CH-2" have entered the final stage, which is completely different from Thailand's usual style. This indicates that when Thailand really decides to purchase a certain weapon, it can also show a very efficient attitude. Based on the accumulation of multiple joint military exercises, the change in the Thai Air Force's perception and the attempt to purchase advanced Chinese aerial units is a very promising approach.

Original: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7561730430722949667/

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