Chinese military exports to other countries

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By Zhang Yueheng in Thailand and Liu Caiyu in Beijing
Source:Global Times Published: 2018/1/29


A Thai army's newly purchased Chinese-manufactured VT4 main battle tank deploys during a simulated warfare exercise at the Royal Thai Army Cavalry Center in Saraburi Province, Thailand, on Friday. Photo: IC

The Royal Thai Army conducted tests of the China-built VT4 main battle tank, also known as the MBT3000, on Friday at the Royal Thai Army Cavalry Centre at Adisorn military camp in Saraburi. Reporters were there to witness the tests take place.

The capabilities of the VT4, built by China for export, were on full display during the press open day, and won high praise from the Thai army.

The commander at the Royal Thai Army Cavalry Centre told the press that the tank VT4 integrates the advantages of world-class advanced main battle tanks with a high level of informatization, maneuverability and firepower.

The Royal Thai Army displayed the tank in early January after China delivered it in October, 2017 and held the press open day at the end of January. Some media commented that the test had grabbed the world's attention.

Thailand has purchased 28 VT4 tanks and its cabinet has approved the repurchase of 10 additional tanks from China, with the number of orders likely to continue growing. The tanks are produced by China North Industries Corporation (NORINCO).

Of the 28 VT4 tanks, 26 were commissioned by the 3rd Cavalry Division in Khon Kaen Province, while the other two were delivered respectively to the Royal Thai Army Cavalry Centre at Adisorn Military camp in Saraburi and the Army Armory Hall.

Ready for battle

During the press open day, the VT4 showed its strong maneuverability by making a 30% gradient climb, navigating through water and coming up from a ditch. The army told reporters that the capability of the 1200-horsepower engine could not be fully tested as it is new.

The tank also carried out shooting tests of both ground and aerial targets. With a 125mm smoothbore gun, the VT4 was able to shoot armor-piercing fin-stabilized discarding-sabot (APFSDS), high explosive anti-tank cartridges and artillery missiles. The longest range of the artillery missiles was 5 kilometers.

The VT4 is equipped with a stabilized fire control including cooled thermal imager sights for commander and gunner. It is also fitted with roof-mounted panoramic sights and a digitalized gun control system, capable of detecting, following and shooting targets in the day or night.

The Royal Thai Army told reporters that "the VT4, equipped with stable main armaments and a strong power system and control system, is much easier to handle and comparable with US-made tanks."

The battalion commander of the 6th Royal Thai Army Cavalry also praised the advanced capability of the tank and said soldiers have become familiar with it, adding that the more they use it the more they like it.

Equipped with a China-made 1200-horsepower diesel-fuelled engine and a hydromechanical drive system, the VT4 can run at a maximum speed of 70 km/h and a maximum cross-country speed of 50 km/h.

When Thailand imported the 28 VT4 tanks from China in 2017, media compared it with the T-84 Oplot-M from Ukraine, but the outstanding capabilities of the VT4 prompted Thailand to purchase the Chinese-made tank. Once they are all commissioned, Thailand will possess one of the strongest armored forces in Southeast Asia.

Staff from NORINCO told the Global Times that China displayed a new GL5 Active Protection System (APS) designed for main battle tanks during a show in August 2017, and customers can have the system fitted on the VT4 if they require.

After-sales service

According to media reports, Thailand plans to eventually purchase a total of 49 tanks in three batches. The Thai cabinet approved the purchase of 10 VT4 tanks for the second batch in April 2017, replacing the old US-made M-41s. The Thai army has been using the M-41 since World War Two.

Thai Army chief General Chalermchai Sitthisart said China and Thailand will build a repair and maintenance center together to ensure the production and maintenance of its accessories. Many commentators believe this is an important reason why Thailand purchased China-made tanks, and that the center will serve the whole of Southeast Asia.

Although weapons from the West are more modern, they tend to be more expensive. Taking price into consideration, Sitthisart said the China-made tanks are cheap and good for investment, establishing long-term relations with China and developing the Thai weapons industry.

The Thai government's purchase of the China-made tanks has been given extensive coverage by the Thai press, including Matichon, Tnews and Bangkok Post, and it has received support as well as opposition from the public.

Some netizens voiced their suspicions on Bangkok Post, saying the tanks could be used by the army for a military coup. But supporters said the "China-made tanks are only a third of the price of American or German made tanks. China will share maintenance and production technology but the West won't."

China will donate tanks and APCs to Cambodia

Defence Minister General Tea Banh yesterday confirmed that China is to provide the army with tanks and armoured personnel carriers to strengthen relations between the two militaries.
He said the tanks and APCs would arrive in Cambodia in March, when the two countries will hold their second joint “Golden Dragon” military exercise.

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Another C13B corvette for the Bangladeshi mare was launched at the Wuchang shipyard this Monday, February 12th. It should be equipped with a new SR2410C SR-Band APAR radar.
From Henri K blog

Hendrik_2000 said:

Another C13B corvette for the Bangladeshi mare was launched at the Wuchang shipyard this Monday, February 12th. It should be equipped with a new SR2410C SR-Band APAR radar.
From Henri K blog

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nice corvette but the 'Yindu' will NOT be impressed!

China will provide 300 retired 59 tanks to Bangladesh free of charge and the Bangladesh side will repair modernization costs of 300 type 59 tank. The picture is called Bangladesh 's 59 style upgrade, while the Bangladesh side is called' Durjoy '.

NIGERIAN AIR FORCE GRADUATES FIRST SET OF IN-HOUSE TRAINED UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLE PILOTS

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The training of the new Pilots commenced in 2016 at the 401 Flying Training School, Kaduna, following which they later converted on the CH-3A RPA.

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F-7NI fighters can be seen in the background

Interesting

China is biggest arms supplier to India’s neighbours, US sales to Pak drop 76%
12 March, 2018

File photo of former Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif with Chinese President Xi Jinping | Photo by Kim Kyung-Hoon -Pool/Getty Images
Beijing is the dominant weapons exporter to Pakistan, Myanmar and Bangladesh, says Stockholm institute report.

New Delhi: China is the dominant supplier of weapons to India’s neighbourhood, emerging as the biggest exporter of arms — from rifles to combat aircraft and warships — to Pakistan, Myanmar and Bangladesh, latest data gathered by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) shows.

A SIPRI report on trends in international arms transfers also reflects the changing geopolitics of South Asia, with sales of weapons to Pakistan by the United States dropping by a significant 76 per cent in the past five years.



On the other hand, India — which has been accelerating its relationship with the US over the past several years from more military exercises to a path-breaking logistics sharing agreement — has recorded a 557 per cent increase in arms deliveries from Washington in 2013-17 as compared to the past.

The data records actual arms deliveries, orders for which may have been placed in the past. During this period, US companies delivered products including the P8I maritime aircraft, C-17 heavy lifters and C 130J special operations aircraft.

The SIPRI report notes deteriorating ties between the US and Pakistan, stemming from the perception that Islamabad is not doing enough to combat terrorism in Afghanistan. This has resulted in a sharp decline in US arms supplies, down 76 per cent.



“In 2008-12 Pakistan received substantial military aid from the US, including 28 combat aircraft and five maritime patrol aircraft. As relations between the two countries deteriorated in 2013–17 (due to US perceptions that Pakistan was not fully committed to combating the Taliban), the US reduced its military aid, and US arms exports to Pakistan fell by 76 per cent compared with 2008–12,” the report says.

This has consolidated China’s position as the main arms supplier, with Pakistan accounting for its biggest export market. “China delivered major arms to 48 countries in 2013–17. Pakistan was the main recipient (35 per cent), as it has been for all five-year periods since 1991,” the report says.

Beyond Pakistan, Beijing has been delivering significant military aid to Myanmar as well. The SIPRI report notes that while EU member-states and the US have imposed arms embargoes due to the use of force against the Rohingyas, China is the main weapons supplier.

“In 2013–17 China accounted for 68 per cent of Myanmar’s arms imports, followed by Russia with 15 per cent. Major ongoing arms deals in 2017 included the delivery of combat aircraft from China and Russia,” it says.



Similarly, Bangladesh which is listed as the 19th biggest importer of arms in the world, gets most of its weapons from China. While Beijing supplies it 71 per cent of all imports, Russia is a far number two with 16 per cent of the market.

India continues its dubious standing as the largest importer of major arms in the world in 2013–17, accounting for 12 per cent of the global total. In fact, Indian arms imports have increased in the past five years, despite a continued push for indigenous production.

“Its imports increased by 24 per cent between 2008–12 and 2013–17…arms imports from the USA increased by 557 per cent, making it India’s second largest arms supplier…. India’s arms imports from Israel also increased (by 285 per cent), making Israel the third largest supplier to India,” the report further says.

Equipment donated by China handed over to Uruguay National Army on 23rd March 2018.

The donated material is made up of 10 tactical ambulances, 6 buses with 42 seats, 3 motor graders, 10 shovel tractors and 4 band tractors.

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The Peoples Liberation Army has said that the close ties between the armed forces of Pakistan and China will help maintain regional peace and global stability.

The statement from the Chinese military on Thursday also added that the military cooperation was evidence of ‘an all-weather partnership’ between the two countries.

China has the largest military in the world, at 2.3 million strong, and Pakistan is the largest consumer of Chinese military hardware. According to recent report by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, the country has bought 41 per cent of the weapons exported by China.

Defense analysts are of the opinion that Pakistan is establishing itself as the main buyer of Chinese weapons as the two countries improve their bilateral ties even further, according to the Indian publication.

China’s military flexes muscles for domestic objective: more funding

“China and Pakistan share all-weather partnership. We have maintained a high-level of defence exchange and cooperation,” Chinese military spokesperson, Col Ren Guoqiang, told a media briefing in Beijing.

“At the same time, I am very confident that military cooperation will help facilitate our state-to-state relationship and also in maintaining regional peace and international stability,” he said.

Earlier, it was reported that China had sold a ‘high performing’ tracking system for the missile programme of Pakistan in an unprecedented deal which reportedly speeds up the development of multi-warhead missiles by Islamabad.

China rejects speculations of military base in Gwadar

Researchers told the Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post that Pakistan had bought a highly sophisticated, large-scale optical tracking and measurement system from China and deployed it “at a firing range” for use in testing and developing its new missiles.

China was the first country to export such sensitive equipment to Pakistan, the report said. Chinese authorities declassified information about the sale of the tracking system only recently.

China, Pakistan armies to ‘jointly combat terrorism’

Pakistan has focused its efforts on developing multiple independently targetable re-entry vehicles (MIRVs), a type of missile-carrying several nuclear warheads that can be directed towards different targets, the report said.

Unlike the US, which accounts for one-third of exports and supplies at least 100 countries, China delivered major arms to 44 countries, mostly in Asia and Africa.

More than 60 per cent of China’s exports went to Pakistan, Bangladesh and Myanmar and another 22 per cent went to Africa, the study by Stockholm International Peace Research Institute outlined.