China said to be negotiating yuan-based arms deals with Saudi Arabia and Egypt

[beijingwalker]

China said to be negotiating arms deals with Saudi Arabia and Egypt​

• The Middle Eastern countries seek to diversify weapons supply amid Ukraine war and tensions with Washington, according to intelligence service
• Riyadh eyes air defence systems and drones as part of possible yuan-based deal while Cairo plans to buy J-10C fighter jets, report says

Published: 10:30pm, 24 May, 2023

Egypt is reportedly in talks with China to acquire a dozen Chengdu J-10C multirole fighters. Photo: Xinhua

China is reportedly in talks with Saudi Arabia and Egypt for major arms deals as the countries seek to diversify their weapons supplies to become less reliant on the United States and Russia.

Saudi Arabian Military Industries (SAMI) is currently in talks with China North Industries Group Corporation (Norinco), a state-owned defence company, to buy weapons ranging from reconnaissance drones to air defence systems, according to Tactical Report, a Beirut-based intelligence service focused on the Middle East.

Weapons involved in the potential deal include the Sky Saker FX80 unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), the CR500 vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) UAV, the Cruise Dragon 5 and 10 – two types of loitering munitions, better known as suicide drones – and the HQ-17AE short-range air defence (SHORAD) system, the service reported last week.

The HQ-17AE SHORAD is the latest addition to the deal, which has been in negotiations for about a year, and talks have “reached an advanced stage”, Tactical Report said, quoting unnamed sources close to the situation.

Negotiations are expected to continue until the end of this year or the beginning of next year, the report said, adding there were rumours that the entire deal would be financed in the Chinese yuan.

In another report published on Monday, Tactical Report said Egypt was in talks with China to acquire the Chengdu J-10C multirole fighter.

To further talks started late last year, a delegation from the Egyptian Air Force is expected to meet representatives from the Chengdu Aircraft Industry Group on the sidelines of the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition in Malaysia this week.

During the meeting, the Chinese company will reveal the latest improvements on the J-10C, including its advanced electronic warfare system and active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar, as Egypt is said to be eyeing 12 of the fighter jets, the report said, quoting anonymous sources.

While the United States remains the world’s top weapons exporter, analysts said China had emerged as an alternative supplier because it offered affordable advanced weapons without political strings attached.
“China is willing to sell hi-tech weapons equipment to friendly nations without political terms, which I think is the main appeal to the Middle East,” said Song Zhongping, a former People’s Liberation Army (PLA) instructor.

As the world’s biggest defence spender, Saudi Arabia has sourced weapons from a variety of countries, though mostly from the US.

But Riyadh is looking to diversify its weapons sources amid increased tensions with Washington following the death of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in 2018 and in light of last year’s Opec+ oil dispute.
Chinese media reported last year that Saudi Arabia bought US$4 billion worth of weapons from China – much more than their previous arms deals – after the Zhuhai air show in November.

“Financing the deal with the Chinese yuan could help eliminate the influence of the US dollar, preventing the US from using the currency as a tool for suppression and restriction,” Song said.

According to data from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, the five largest arms exporters in 2018–22 were the United States, Russia, France, China and Germany. Together they supplied 76 per cent of the world’s arms exports.

During the five-year period, the US supplied 40 per cent of global arms exports, with the main recipients being Saudi Arabia, Japan and Australia. China accounted for 5.2 per cent of global weapons exports, with Pakistan, Bangladesh and Serbia as the top recipients.

Egypt, which is in the midst of a maritime dispute in the eastern Mediterranean with neighbouring Libya, was ranked sixth by share of global arms imports for 2018-22 after India, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Australia and China.

Egypt has mainly sourced arms from Russia, France and Germany, but it is looking to China as the war in Ukraine has restricted Moscow’s ability to manufacture military hardware for clients, according to analysts.

China said to be negotiating arms deals with Saudi Arabia and Egypt

The Middle Eastern countries are eyeing Chinese drones, fighter jets and air defence systems as they seek to diversify weapons supply amid Ukraine war and tensions with Washington, according to Beirut-based intelligence service.

www.scmp.com

 

[beijingwalker]

China in advanced negotiations for major arms deals with Egypt and Saudi Arabia
The New Arab Staff
25 May, 2023

Amid perceived tensions with the US over alleged war crimes and human rights abuses, Egypt and Saudi Arabia are looking towards China for "no strings" deals for advanced military technology.

China's hi-tech J-10c fighter jets are just some of the advanced weapons that Egypt and Saudi Arabia are looking to purchase from the People's Republic [Getty]

China is currently in talks with Egypt and Saudi Arabia for major arms deals that will see both countries diversify their weapons supply amid increasingly complicated relations with the US.

Saudi Arabian Military Industries (SAMI) entered talks with China’s state-owned defence company China North Industries Group Corporation (Norinco) for a massive weapons deal, according to a report in the South China Morning Post.

Riyadh seeks to purchase a wide range of China’s top-of-the-range military technology, particularly air defence systems and reconnaissance drones.

Though the deal was in the works for around a year, talks had reached advanced stages with finalisation likely to come by the end of the year. If the deal passes, it is likely to be the largest deal Saudi has ever made with non-US military technology suppliers.

Meanwhile, Egypt is looking to advance talks that commenced last year with China over the purchase of around 12 of the latest version of the J-10 Vigorous Dragon multirole combat fighter jet.

Representatives of the Egyptian Air Force are due to meet with the Chinese state-owned Chengdu Aircraft Industry Group at the International Maritime and Aeronautical Exhibition in Malaysia later this week.

US President Joe Biden came into office with the foreign policy objective of barring all sales of “offensive weapons” to Saudi Arabia in light of its use of American military technology in its devastating war in Yemen.

This policy was contradicted by a $650 million arms deal with Saudi approved by Biden's state department, a deal which allowed Riyadh to maintain attack helicopters that have been used to bomb Yemen.

Biden had also initially claimed, regarding the $1.3 billion in military aid that the US provides Egypt annually, that he would get tough on President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi's appalling human rights record.

However, this too was contradicted by Washington when the Biden administration agreed to continue the aid despite Egypt's human rights abuses. Due to scrutiny from within Congress, Biden acknowledged Egypt’s human rights abuses by withholding a symbolic $130 million of the aid.

However, Saudi Arabia and Egypt’s willingness to look towards China for military technology indicates that both Arab countries might consider Washington as too politically compromised and unreliable a supplier.

According to Song Zhongping, a former People’s Liberation Army (PLA) instructor quoted by the South China Morning Post, the “main appeal” of arms deals with China to countries like Saudi Arabia and Egypt is that Beijing is "willing to sell hi-tech weapons equipment to friendly nations without political terms".

In other words, China will overlook potential Saudi war crimes in Yemen or Egypt’s human rights record and is likely to provide weapons with no questions asked. It is unlikely to make even symbolic gestures to protest.

The advancement of the weapons deals with China came amid a shifting geopolitical scene, with signs of defiance of US and Western policy towards Russia by both Egypt and Saudi.

Just this week, Saudi hosted the heavily US-sanctioned Russian interior minister, while earlier this month Egypt was caught in a now-shelved plan to covertly supply Russia with rockets in its war against Ukraine.

China in advanced talks for major Saudi, Egypt arms deals

Amid perceived tensions with the US over alleged war crimes and human rights abuses, Egypt and Saudi Arabia are looking towards China for "no strings" deals for advanced military technology.

www.newarab.com

 

[beijingwalker]

Royal Saudi AF may replace the Tornado fighter with Chengdu J-10​

By Boyko Nikolov On May 27, 2023

With reports claiming that Egypt is set to hold talks next week in Malaysia for the acquisition of 12 J-10C fighter jets, the same source, Tactical Report, says Saudi Arabia is also showing interest in the Chinese fighter jet. This is the second Middle Eastern country that is said to be interested in buying the Chengdu J-10 Vigorous Dragon.

Photo credit: Creative Commons


According to sources, in the coming years, Riyadh will begin to phase out the outdated Panavia Tornado multi-role fighter jet. The kingdom has about 80 units of this combat aircraft, developed jointly between Italy and Great Britain. Currently, the backbone of the Royal Saudi Air Force [RSAF] is about 200 F-15S/SA Strike Eagles, 60 F-15C Eagle, 21 F-15D Eagle, and 72 Eurofighter Typhoons.

The acquisition of the Chengdu J-10 Vigorous Dragon is said to be in an overall package that includes additional armaments, mostly drones. The Sky Saker FX80 drone models, the CR500 vertical take-off and landing [VTOL] drone, the Cruise Dragon 5 and 10 loitering munitions, and the HQ-17 short-range air defense system are mentioned.

Experts say such a purchase is expected and entirely possible after Riyadh and Beijing have strongly begun to strengthen their relationship in recent months since the start of the year. What’s more, Beijing agreed to buy oil from the Middle Eastern kingdom, while Saudi Arabia agreed to accept the Chinese yuan in those deals.

Trade relations between the two countries go back even further. China and Saudi Arabia have agreed to build a joint production line at a new drone manufacturing plant inside the Saudi Kingdom. Last but not least, the kingdom’s 5G telecommunications network was built by China’s Huawei.

Photo credit: RAF

Despite public presentations of good relations between Saudi Arabia and the US, trade relations, especially in the oil industry, are not so “rosy”. Riyadh expects sanctions from Washington. The Saudis refuse to change their policies on oil production to sell cheaper to the West.

Saudi Arabia is ready to respond to any Western sanction with the purchase of Chinese goods and, most importantly, Chinese weapons. It is for this reason that Riyadh will seek to strengthen its defense capabilities. Beijing’s diplomacy in recent months in the Middle East not only worries Washington, but it also risks damaging the US dollar.

Beijing was able to “shake hands” between Saudis and Iranians, and a little later to improve relations between the Arab world and Syria, returning Syria to the Arab League. Catching up in military production to the US and Russia over the past decade, China will try to gain “equal rights” in a region long controlled by Washington.

Little known fact, but Saudi Arabia is the largest importer of Western arms in the world. Western interests, largely affecting the American, British, and French, could seriously suffer a blow from China, and this could become a turning point for international politics.

Photo credit: Twitter

Saudi Arabia is not the only country in the region interested in Chinese military equipment. BulgarianMilitary.com reported just a day ago that Egypt, another major arms consumer, will sit down at the negotiating table with China to purchase at least 12 J-10C fighter jets.

Cairo will most likely want to replace the failed deal with Moscow and the acquisition of Su-35 fighters that are already on their way to Iran. Egypt, as a consumer of Soviet [in the past Western] arms, is having difficulty maintaining its Soviet-made platforms because of the war in Ukraine. Moscow cannot currently guarantee the delivery of equipment and spare parts to its partners around the world. The entire military budget and production are sent to the front line.

So, the J-10C is a perfectly suitable alternative for Egypt, as it turns out for Saudi Arabia. This aircraft is probably the most powerful single-engine fighter in the world, and looking at its characteristics, only the lack of stealth function stops it from ranking on a par with the American flagship F-35.

Photo credit: Wikipedia

The J-10C is generation 4++ and in China during training or military exercises, it has always defeated the larger J-16 and the Russian Su-35 in missions.

Reports indicate that Riyadh will also want to replace the aging F-15s delivered decades ago by the US. A Chinese platform is also being discussed as a potential replacement, but this time the FC-31 stealth fighter. A Chinese aircraft is actually already flying over the kingdom. This is an L-15 bought for training purposes. It was this aircraft that showed the Saudis that China’s air combat technology was highly advanced. Isn’t the L-15 the reason Riyadh is interested in the J-10C?

Royal Saudi AF may replace the Tornado fighter with Chengdu J-10

Saudi Arabia is also showing interest in the Chinese fighter jet. This is the second Middle Eastern state that is said to be interested in buying J-10 Dragon.

bulgarianmilitary.com

 

[Bilal9]

China in advanced negotiations for major arms deals with Egypt and Saudi Arabia
The New Arab Staff
25 May, 2023

Amid perceived tensions with the US over alleged war crimes and human rights abuses, Egypt and Saudi Arabia are looking towards China for "no strings" deals for advanced military technology.

China's hi-tech J-10c fighter jets are just some of the advanced weapons that Egypt and Saudi Arabia are looking to purchase from the People's Republic [Getty]

China is currently in talks with Egypt and Saudi Arabia for major arms deals that will see both countries diversify their weapons supply amid increasingly complicated relations with the US.

Saudi Arabian Military Industries (SAMI) entered talks with China’s state-owned defence company China North Industries Group Corporation (Norinco) for a massive weapons deal, according to a report in the South China Morning Post.

Riyadh seeks to purchase a wide range of China’s top-of-the-range military technology, particularly air defence systems and reconnaissance drones.

Though the deal was in the works for around a year, talks had reached advanced stages with finalisation likely to come by the end of the year. If the deal passes, it is likely to be the largest deal Saudi has ever made with non-US military technology suppliers.

Meanwhile, Egypt is looking to advance talks that commenced last year with China over the purchase of around 12 of the latest version of the J-10 Vigorous Dragon multirole combat fighter jet.

Representatives of the Egyptian Air Force are due to meet with the Chinese state-owned Chengdu Aircraft Industry Group at the International Maritime and Aeronautical Exhibition in Malaysia later this week.

US President Joe Biden came into office with the foreign policy objective of barring all sales of “offensive weapons” to Saudi Arabia in light of its use of American military technology in its devastating war in Yemen.

This policy was contradicted by a $650 million arms deal with Saudi approved by Biden's state department, a deal which allowed Riyadh to maintain attack helicopters that have been used to bomb Yemen.

Biden had also initially claimed, regarding the $1.3 billion in military aid that the US provides Egypt annually, that he would get tough on President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi's appalling human rights record.

However, this too was contradicted by Washington when the Biden administration agreed to continue the aid despite Egypt's human rights abuses. Due to scrutiny from within Congress, Biden acknowledged Egypt’s human rights abuses by withholding a symbolic $130 million of the aid.

However, Saudi Arabia and Egypt’s willingness to look towards China for military technology indicates that both Arab countries might consider Washington as too politically compromised and unreliable a supplier.

According to Song Zhongping, a former People’s Liberation Army (PLA) instructor quoted by the South China Morning Post, the “main appeal” of arms deals with China to countries like Saudi Arabia and Egypt is that Beijing is "willing to sell hi-tech weapons equipment to friendly nations without political terms".

In other words, China will overlook potential Saudi war crimes in Yemen or Egypt’s human rights record and is likely to provide weapons with no questions asked. It is unlikely to make even symbolic gestures to protest.

The advancement of the weapons deals with China came amid a shifting geopolitical scene, with signs of defiance of US and Western policy towards Russia by both Egypt and Saudi.

Just this week, Saudi hosted the heavily US-sanctioned Russian interior minister, while earlier this month Egypt was caught in a now-shelved plan to covertly supply Russia with rockets in its war against Ukraine.

China in advanced talks for major Saudi, Egypt arms deals

Amid perceived tensions with the US over alleged war crimes and human rights abuses, Egypt and Saudi Arabia are looking towards China for "no strings" deals for advanced military technology.

www.newarab.com

The single and double seater J-10's have different intakes and tails.

Guessing probably the speed capability and weapons complement.

Single seater may have radar warning receiver and other adversarial offensive components and the intake for the single seater is also a newer development.

 

[dbc]

The single and double seater J-10's have different intakes and tails.

Guessing probably the speed capability and weapons complement.

Single seater may have radar warning receiver and other adversarial offensive components and the intake for the single seater is also a newer development.

The DSI intake was introduced with the B model, the older J-10A has a conventional splitter plate intake it's got nothing to with single or dual seat.

 

[mdmm]

During the meeting, the Chinese company will reveal the latest improvements on the J-10C, including its advanced electronic warfare system and active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar, as Egypt is said to be eyeing 12 of the fighter jets, the report said, quoting anonymous sources.

Your above news are biggest news of the century ,
1- Deal will be in Chinese Yuan,
2- Egypt and Saudi Arabia are contarcting with China for air defence products and J-10 C jet fighters. etc etc.
I was reading that Egypt has cancelled its plan to buy more Rafale and now buying J-10 C . This confirm that Pakistan made best decision to buy J-10 C .
Similarly saudia did not show any interest to buy latest USA jet fighters. But talking with China to buy advance air defence products, which some of them has been already bought by Pakistan.

 

[etylo]

Are Egypt and Saudi ready to buy Chinese J-10 C yet ?

 

[alphapak]

How good will a J10C be against thee Israeli F35? surely they should be putting
their money into the 5th Gen J31.

 

[mdmm]

At the bottom of this page, you can review that several rich countries worldwide are going to buy J-10 C from China. Good for Pakistan.Although these countries have latest jet fighters.
But Rafale worshipper India may feel very depressed now.

 

[Muji.Iqbal]

J-10C is a good plane project. I am waiting to see if the Arab Muslim countries will purchase it.

 

[etylo]

If Egypt, Saudi and other Arabic countries decide to buy J 10-C fighters, then it means a shift in those countries' defense procurements and orientation.

 

[lightning F57]

They should diversify from less politically compromised aircraft.

 

[Ghostkiller]

Your above news are biggest news of the century ,
1- Deal will be in Chinese Yuan,
2- Egypt and Saudi Arabia are contarcting with China for air defence products and J-10 C jet fighters. etc etc.
I was reading that Egypt has cancelled its plan to buy more Rafale and now buying J-10 C . This confirm that Pakistan made best decision to buy J-10 C .
Similarly saudia did not show any interest to buy latest USA jet fighters. But talking with China to buy advance air defence products, which some of them has been already bought by Pakistan.

Egypt didn't cancel the deal to buy more Rafales because we have already 24 in service and 30 in order. We have a plan to have at least 70 to 100 Rafales. And Dassault confirmed the new deal came into force. Maybe the J-10 to replace the old Mirage 2K.

How good will a J10C be against thee Israeli F35? surely they should be putting
their money into the 5th Gen J31.

Till now, J-31isn't mass produce and will take a few years. So maybe in the future

If Egypt, Saudi and other Arabic countries decide to buy J 10-C fighters, then it means a shift in those countries' defense procurements and orientation.

They should diversify from less politically compromised aircraft.

Egypt is doing that since forever that's why we have a lot of equipments from various countries. One of our doctrine is to diversify our inventory.

 

[Ali_Baba]

Egypt didn't cancel the deal to buy more Rafales because we have already 24 in service and 30 in order. We have a plan to have at least 70 to 100 Rafales. And Dassault confirmed the new deal came into force. Maybe the J-10 to replace the old Mirage 2K.


Till now, J-31isn't mass produce and will take a few years. So maybe in the future


Egypt is doing that since forever that's why we have a lot of equipments from various countries. One of our doctrine is to diversify our inventory.

100 Rafales is quite a lot - are they to start replacing the F16s ? ( i hope they come with Meteor missiles ... ).

 

[Maula Jatt]

For a country with zero enemies/weak enemies Egypt sure spend a lot of money on military hardware