Chinese Military Exports (Land Systems)
- Thread starter navyreco
- Start date
Starting to get the impression that Calidus doesn't manufacture much, if anything themselves, but white labels kit produced by more experienced foreign companies, like NORINCO, for sales to the Emiratis and other countries and forces friendly to and/or subsidized by them.
The UAE defense company Calidus unveiled a new 8x8 light infantry fighting vehicle (LIFV) at IDEX in Abu Dhabi. The company also showed off a model of the production line (1st image below). Does it look familiar to you? It's the same production line model (for the VN22) shown by NORINCO at last year's Zhuhai Airshow (see 2nd image below). I think this LIFV is based on the NORINCO VN22 platform.
Yep that's pretty much the case for all of the defense companies of the UAE. A lot of HALCON's munitions for example, are re-labeled South African designs produced in their own factories. For example, the Umbani, Skynight, and Thunder P-XX series of bombs were all Denel projects which I presume they bought the IP of and sell as their own now. Most of the technical work is done by South Africans who formerly worked at Denel and others who moved to the UAE when many South African companies were struggling. Another more recent and blatant example is the Barq MLRS from Calidus which is just an SR-5/7 put on a new chassis and given a new name.
We should see a lot more turret exports because China is teaching everyone how to make the chassis.A Chinese export turret mounted on Turkish Arma 8x8. The photo was allegedly taken in Kazakhstan, which was testing the vehicle.
Is this recent? Some information was posted about this project back in 2023. Essentially Kazakhstan wanted a BMP-3 type armament package which Turkey did not have "off the shelf".A Chinese export turret mounted on Turkish Arma 8x8. The photo was allegedly taken in Kazakhstan, which was testing the vehicle.
Supposed to be a done deal back then, but then denied by KZ, but obviously the project is/was quite far along.
by78
General
Date of the photo is unknown.
The Kazachs are keeping the decision for their new APC/IFV in limbo on purpose it seems. There are those who are in favor of foreign solution which have proven to be superior during tests, and those who want to go domestic. It seems the domestic camp is politically stronger.
Same story is for the Tulpar and the Aselsan modernization for their T-72 as both went nowhere although they've completed the tests years ago.