DTN News: Russian Combat Aircraft Makers Fear Competition With China

DTN News: Russian Combat Aircraft Makers Fear Competition With China

Source: DTN News / RIA Novosti

(NSI News Source Info) MOSCOW, Russia - July 6, 2010: Russian aircraft makers MiG and Sukhoi have spoken against the sale of RD-93 jet engines to China citing the threat of strong competition from cheaper Chinese models of fighter aircraft. Russia's state arms exporter Rosoboronexport planned to sign a contract with China on the delivery of 100 RD-93 engines for FC-1 fighters, which are direct competitors of the famed MiG-29 Fulcrum aircraft. Mikhail Pogosyan, the head of the MiG and Sukhoi corporations, said the re-export of technologies must be approved by the original manufacturers to avoid unfair competition. The FC-1 Xiaolong (Fierce Dragon) is a single-engine multi-role fighter aircraft developed jointly by China and Pakistan. It is designated as JF-17 Thunder by Pakistan. A Russian aircraft industry source said the FC-1 is inferior to MiG-29 in performance, but sells for about $10 million, while the price of a MiG-29 is about $35 mln. MiG-29s are currently competing with FC-1s in an Egyptian tender on the delivery of 32 fighters. In addition, Egypt has launched negotiations with Pakistan on the licensed production of FC-1 aircraft. Russian Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation (FSMTC) approved the re-export of RD-93 engines to Egypt as part of the FC-1 fighter package in November 2007. Rosoboronexport has said a decision to allow the re-export of technology could be made only by the government, and the manufacturers have never been consulted on the issue. Russian weapons manufacturers are also facing increasing competition from China on other arms markets. Russian S-300 and Chinese HQ-9 air defense systems have been competing in a Turkish tender since 2007. Russian and Chinese armored personnel carriers competed in an Indonesian tender in 2007. In 2009, Myanmar chose Russian Mig-29s over Chinese J-10s and FC-1s. Russia has also accused China of producing its own copycat versions of some Russian-made weaponry, including the Su-27SK fighter jet, in violation of intellectual property agreements.

China Stepping Into Aviation Industry / Leading Aircraft Manufacturers Would Face Competition "Made In China" In Near Future - Report

China Stepping Into Aviation Industry / Leading Aircraft Manufacturers Would Face Competition "Made In China" In Near Future - Report

(NSI News Source Info) February 26, 2009: In this March 30, 2007 file photo, workers gather for a ceremony marking the start of final assembly of the homegrown ARJ-21 regional jet at the Shanghai Aircraft Manufacturing Factory in Shanghai, China. Aviation Industry Corp. of China, which makes the homegrown ARJ-21 jet and Beijing's fighter jets, says it will recruit its first executives from abroad, an unprecedented step for the secretive world of Chinese military contractors, amid efforts to create a commercial aerospace supplier to compete with Boeing Co. and Europe's Airbus.

AVIC is looking for vice presidents for 13 subsidiaries who have experience at multinational companies in marketing, research and production, said Ding Zhiyong, a company spokesman.

He said most posts were in civilian areas such as helicopters and cargo planes but some were in defense, though he declined to give other details.

The company says it plans to formally launch the recruiting efforts Thursday, Feb. 26.

China Exports More Arms To African Countries!

China Exports More Arms To African Countries! Source: UPI Asia by Andrei Chang (NSI News Source Info) Hong Kong - January 28, 2009: Increasing quantities of China-made military equipment have been finding their way to Africa, traded for oil, mineral resources and even fishing rights. Zambia has used its copper resources to pay China in a number of military deals, for instance, and Kenya has been negotiating with China to trade fishing rights for arms.

During Zimbabwe's involvement in the DRC, six or seven F-7s were deployed to the Lubumbashi IAP and then to a similar installation near Mbuji-Mayi. From there, AFZ F-7s flew dozens of combat air patrols in the following months, attempting in vain to intercept transport aircraft used to bring supplies and troops from Rwanda and Burundi to the Congo. In late October 1998, F-7s of the No.5 Squadron were used in an offensive in east-central Congo. This began with a series of air strikes that first targeted airfields in Gbadolite, Dongo and Gmena, and then rebel and Rwandan communications and depots in the Kisangani area on November 21.

Among the most popular Chinese military exports to Africa are the J-7, K-8 and Y-12 aircraft, which are relatively inexpensive and easy to operate. China sees those countries already armed with the K-8 and J-7 aircraft as potential customers for its new FC-1 fighters. Sources from the Russian and South African military industries say they are now keeping an eye on China’s FC-1 fighter sales. The Russian military believes the FC-1 is inferior to its MiG-29 SMT and Su-30 MKA. But the Russians cannot match China’s deal-making ability, as the Chinese are accepting oil and minerals in lieu of cash to pay for their equipment. A delegation from the Nigerian air force told the author at the Cape Town Air Show in South Africa last September that their country was negotiating with China to purchase K-8 trainer aircraft. The country imported Chinese J-7 fighters in 2006, and has expressed an interest in the FC-1. Zimbabwe’s air force delegation told the author that they were negotiating the purchase of one squadron of FC-1 fighters from China. Zimbabwe is already equipped with K-8 trainers and J-7 fighters. In August last year one Zimbabwean K-8 trainer crashed due to pilot error, the air force representative admitted. The current problem lies in how Zimbabwe will be able to pay for the purchase of FC-1 fighters. A source from the South African military industry says that China is interested in Zimbabwe’s zinc and aluminum mines. In recent years, a large number of Chinese companies have been involved in the development of mines in Angola as well. Military observers in South Africa told the author that there are many Chinese workers in Angola, and China has already become the largest importer of the country’s crude oil. A source from the Angolan military said the country was very interested in Chinese arms. He said the Angolan air force needed entry-level trainer aircraft, and therefore was discussing a deal to import Chinese aircraft. The Angolan air force also intends to acquire new-generation advanced fighters. A source from the South African military industry said Angola has at least eight Su-27 fighters. Since Russia denies having exported these planes to Angola, they are believed to be secondhand Su-27 fighters from Ukraine or Belarus, both of which have good military ties with Angola. Since Angola has rich oil resources – and if combat capability is not a top priority in its choice of fighter aircraft – there is a good chance the country may trade its oil for China-made fighters. The author has learned that the Angolan army is also in contact with China’s defense manufacturer Norinco for the purchase of artillery guns, armored vehicles and ammunitions. China has been supplying an extensive range of light weapons and ammunitions to Zimbabwe and Angola. African military sources told the author that Norinco has recently exported a certain quantity of 155-mm howitzers to North African countries, including Algeria, Sudan and Egypt. One source claimed that Algeria purchased enough 155-mm auto-propulsion howitzers to equip a battalion. This country has not traditionally been a purchaser of Chinese ground-force equipment, but seems to have taken its lead from Sudan, which first bought the howitzers. One company of Chinese auto-propulsion 155-mm howitzers consists of six artillery vehicles, one 704-1 positioning radar and one 720-D meteorological radar. One battalion is composed of 18 155-mm howitzers, one command vehicle and one surveillance vehicle. This type of auto-propulsion 155-mm howitzer originated from the 45-caliber PLL01 towed howitzer, which uses extended range full bore, base bleed or rocket-assisted (ERFB-BB/RA) ammunition with a maximum range of 50 kilometers. Other ammunitions used for the howitzer are the 30-kilometer ERFB/HE (high explosive), and 39-kilometer ERFB-BB/HE. The weight of the artillery gun is 13 tons. Analysts from the African military industry believe that China has fitted Russian Krasnopol semi-active laser-guided gun launch projectiles on its 155-mm howitzers. The United Arab Emirates uses the Chinese-version Krasnopols, which are almost one-third cheaper than the Russian originals. A military source also told the author that Norinco has delivered WMZ-551 6×6 wheeled armored vehicles to both Zambia and Kenya in the past three years. Kenya is not a traditional market of Chinese ground-force equipment, but as China has been competing fiercely with Russia and South Africa in selling arms in Africa, it appears to be opening up new markets. The Royal Guards of Oman have imported 50 of these vehicles, and the Sudanese army also has them. The WMZ-551 uses a new turret and is equipped with the 2A72 30-mm gun produced under license from Russia. The armored vehicle can be fitted with a 12.7-mm machine gun, 105-mm smoothbore gun, 120-mm mortar and four HJ-8 anti-tank missiles. It has been reported recently that the Chinese army’s light mechanized brigades have received batches of WMZ-551 wheeled armored vehicles fitted with 120-mm mortar guns, 105-mm smoothbore guns and 2A72 30-mm cannon guns. A source from the Chinese military industry claimed that the turrets of the WMZ-551 can be transferred to 8×8 wheeled vehicles once those have been developed.

Dockworkers in South Africa have blocked a Chinese arms boat from reaching Zimbabwe. The An Yue Jiang, a Chinese ship carrying the weapons, was anchored just outside Durban harbor after receiving permission late Wednesday to dock. Its arrival earlier this week has increased concern about tensions in Zimbabwe, where the ruling party and the opposition are locked in a dispute over presidential elections. A South African government official, speaking on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue, had confirmed that there were weapons on board but gave no further details. Aside from the weapon systems fitted on board, the WMZ-551 has a combat weight of 13.5 to 19 tons. It is powered by one 235-kilowatt diesel engine, has a maximum speed of 85 kilometers per hour, a maximum duration of 600 kilometers, a length of 6.69 meters, width of 2.86 meters, and its speed in water is eight kilometers per hour.