China trying to outperform Russia on weapons exports

[Saifullah Sani]

Recently a photograph of three Chinese-made CAIC Z-10 attack helicopters delivered to Pakistan has been circulating online, according to Sina's military news website.

This has led to comparisons between Chinese and Russian weapons systems online. In certain traditional fields, the Russian defense industry has a clear advantage, according to the website. Its Soviet legacy and its efforts in research and development put Russia at the forefront of the international weapons market, the article said. According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute ranking, Russia is the second biggest weapons exporter, as it exports weapons to 56 countries. Its weapon exports to India, China and Algeria make up 60% of the country's total weapon exports.

China is a relative newcomer to the global weapons market, but it is now the third biggest defense exporter. The weapons it exports include the CAC/PAC JF-17 Thunder fighter, the PLZ-45 155 mm self-propelled howitzer and the C series of anti-ship missiles. The reason for the rapid growth in its weapons exports is China's rapid economic rise, which has fueled the modernization of the armed forces, according to the website. This has allowed certain Chinese weapon systems to be able to compete with Russian weapons in the international market.

One of the clearest examples of this is Pakistan's purchase of Z-10 attack helicopters from China. China has already handed over three of the helicopters to Pakistan, according to US-based military affairs news site Strategy Page. The three helicopters have been provided to Pakistan in advance, to allow them to trial the helicopter. Pakistan will buy 17 Z-10 helicopters and before the end of the year, Pakistan will receive another two. Providing weapon systems at so early a stage in a deal is almost unheard of in the weapons trade and shows that China is keen to compete with Russia for customers. Pakistan is the first country to buy the helicopter from China.

The Pakistani media has speculated that the country also wishes to purchase Chinese Jin-class Type 094 nuclear powered ballistic missile submarines.

Pakistan has extended an olive branch to Russia after the Chinese helicopter purchase, however, as a report in IHS Jane's Defence Weekly from Oct. 26, 2014 stated that Russia and Pakistan have signed a contract to enhance cooperation on military purchases. Under the terms of the agreement, Russia will provide Pakistan with 20 Mi-35 attack helicopters. The two countries may also reach deals on the Pantsyr-S1 short to medium range surface-to-air missile and anti-aircraft artillery weapon system, the Mi-28E all weather attack helicopter and the 9K37 Buk Grizzly missile system.

Pakistan plans to use helicopters purchased from China and Russia at the same time.

Several weapons systems currently in service with the Pakistan Armed Forces were developed jointly by both China and Pakistan, including the CAC/PAC JF-17 Thunder fighter, main battle tanks, F-22P Zulfiquar-class frigates, and Azmat-class fast attack crafts. Contracts for several others are set to be signed soon, including a deal for an upgrade to the F-22P, a deal for eight of the export version of China's Type 039A Yuan-class diesel-electric submarine, and another on China's Type 022 missile boat.

Russia, for its part, appears to be attempting to move in on China's traditional clientele, including Thailand, Myanmar and Pakistan. This has coincided with certain issues over weapons deals between Russia and China. One in particular concerns the Zubr-class air-cushioned landing craft (LCAC). China originally signed a deal with Ukraine for two of the landing craft, while two others were set to be built within China. After Russia annexed Crimea, however, there was some confusion as to whether the deal would go ahead and if it would be filled by Ukraine or by Russia. The issue was just resolved recently, when Russia agreed to take over the contract.

Production on the JF-17 Thunder Block 2 began at the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex in Kamra in September 2013 and three aircraft have already come off the production line. The first Block 2 aircraft completed its maiden flight on Feb. 9. The Pakistan Air Force plans to buy 50 of the upgraded fighters. The biggest difference between Block 1 and Block 2 fighters is that the latter is equipped with a mid-air refueling system. This has boosted the export potential of the JF-17. The avionics of the Block 2 fighters have also been improved, which allows it to work more efficiently with the KLJ-7 X band airborne fire-control radar.

China trying to outperform Russia on weapons exports｜WantChinaTimes.com

 

[DejanSRB]

weapons exporters - Google претрага

Russia sells more then FIVE times more weapons then China, in more then 50 countries (include China).

It will pass many decades before anyone touch Russian and American weapons export. I dont underestimate Chinese industry, but China start to improve their defence industry for just two decades (maybe even less), when Russian and USA established their relations back in 1940's. There is a big gap between others and this two. Both in percents and billions.

 

[Zibago]

weapons exporters - Google претрага

Russia sells more then FIVE times more weapons then China, in more then 50 countries (include China).

It will pass many decades before anyone touch Russian and American weapons export. I dont underestimate Chinese industry, but China start to improve their defence industry for just two decades (maybe even less), when Russian and USA established their relations back in 1940's. There is a big gap between others and this two. Both in percents and billions.

Yep they are going to take out bites out of Western and Russian shares but to reach there level aint happening for atleast a decade

 

[Deino]

NOOOOOO, Not again WantChinaTimes .... simply again to let the CHinese look bad & evil.
They try to earn Money with weapons, they sell death ...

And in the same moment US and Russian arms exports are bigger beyond Imagination. Simply a political troll-Report in order to save the own maket and influence.

Deino

 

[DejanSRB]

@fakhre mirpur
China performs very well for now. You must realize that USA is superpower from 1945 to this date and that Russia was superpower from 1945 to 1991, and in Cold war times, China was outsider and junior partner to both so China's 5% share of the global weapons market is great news for all Chinese. China is only power of that three that make great steps without recessions and crisis.

 

[Viper0011.]

weapons exporters - Google претрага

Russia sells more then FIVE times more weapons then China, in more then 50 countries (include China).

It will pass many decades before anyone touch Russian and American weapons export. I dont underestimate Chinese industry, but China start to improve their defence industry for just two decades (maybe even less), when Russian and USA established their relations back in 1940's. There is a big gap between others and this two. Both in percents and billions.

I agree with your analysis. But you missed a key point, when Russia was able to export so many billions of weapons to so many countries, she was the second super power. Now, Russia is struggling herself, its broken and has become just another large nuclear country with way less than perfect of an example of a super power.
The relationships she established when she was a super power, are being revised. Russia never went in like the US or the Chinese did, which is, invest and make bases into other countries. The US created those strategic partnerships and China is working on them now (google Chinese investments into different countries, all the way to South America). So in the next decade, as the Chinese master some key tech such as jet engines, complex avionics, Chinese weapons exports are expected to rise many folds and China will replace Russia within the next two decades. When a country has 2,5,or 10 billion dollar worth of critical investments from another country, the investing country also has influence to give weapons packages through financing and all. So its a natural growth, only time is needed.

 

[DejanSRB]

@Viper0011.

Look I agree with you at some points, but before you put China on par with US, you must realized that USSR was recognized superpower by all countries in the world, and that China maybe become superpower and maybe not.
In 80's everybody thought that Japan will become "third superpower" along USSR and US. And what happened?

Time will tell who will create global picture. But before you call Russia "another large nuclear country", read Zbigniew Brzezinski, he is master of geopolitics. Once he said " When GB was empire, their main rival was Russian Empire, when America was "empire" their main rival was Soviet "empire", we must repress any resurgence of russian power in Euroasian continent".

And btw. I think that you missed key point. Now Russia is not superpower, but potential. And it is still second exporter of weapons, with just 4% less then US.

So nothing changes on first two places, except US become #1 and Russia #2.

 

[UKBengali]

@DejanSRB :

By 2030 China will be a recognised superpower on the level of the US.

US and China are destined to dominate weapons exports - Russia will lose many customers to China
over the next 10-15 years and will then be a middle-player like France and UK in the global arms markets.

 

[DejanSRB]

Yeah and Pope would transform Vatican into big spaceship and destroy this planet.

We live in fast-living world. Today you are billionaire tommorow beggar. No one can predict what will happen next decade not even next year.
So please spare me useless, proofless talking. I came from country which is very very friendly to China and Chinese, two Chinese (both from Harbin) was studied history classes with me, so I really appreciate Chinese civilization. I would be happy if China become succesfull. But it is distant future.
The reality is that China make first steps on weapons exports. And make very big steps.

Russia will never be second tier power, New York Times in 90's predicted that Russia will fall apart before 2000. And what happened?

 

[Saifullah Sani]

NOOOOOO, Not again WantChinaTimes .... simply again to let the CHinese look bad & evil.
They try to earn Money with weapons, they sell death ...

And in the same moment US and Russian arms exports are bigger beyond Imagination. Simply a political troll-Report in order to save the own maket and influence.

Deino

View attachment 232916

Chinese exports of major arms increased by 143 per cent between 2010 and 2014, making it the third largest global supplier in this period. India’s neighbours Pakistan, Bangladesh and Myanmar accounted for 68 per cent of Beijing’s exports.

However, at 5 per cent of the total global arms exports, China was still significantly behind the USA and Russia, whose shares were 31 per cent and 27 per cent respectively between 2010 and 2014. Having failed to produce competitive indigenously designed weapons, India did not figure in the top 10 exporters of arms, where Germany, France, UK, Spain, Italy, Ukraine and Israel followed the USA, Russia and China.

- See more at: SIPRI data shows India world’s biggest arms importer at three times of China | The Indian Express

 

[Path-Finder]

NOOOOOO, Not again WantChinaTimes .... simply again to let the CHinese look bad & evil.
They try to earn Money with weapons, they sell death ...

And in the same moment US and Russian arms exports are bigger beyond Imagination. Simply a political troll-Report in order to save the own maket and influence.

Deino

View attachment 232916

Damn you must be the new hybrid Deino the cooked up in Jurassic World.

 

[UKBengali]

@DejanSRB :

Dude you are embarrassing yourself here.

I know that Serbs love Russians but you taking this love a bit too far.

Live in your fantasy world that a tiny Russia will stay ahead of gigantic China for too much longer - everyone
is allowed to hope for what they want rather than what reality is.

 

[Viper0011.]

@Viper0011.

Look I agree with you at some points, but before you put China on par with US, you must realized that USSR was recognized superpower by all countries in the world, and that China maybe become superpower and maybe not.
In 80's everybody thought that Japan will become "third superpower" along USSR and US. And what happened?

So nothing changes on first two places, except US become #1 and Russia #2.

You are sadly mistaken if you are putting China vs. Russia. I, like the remainder of the Americans, consider China the main threat to the United States, and Russia a big foe, but a bit more serious than say Iran or North Korea with a bigger force of course. When a country doesn't have money to pay its soldiers, it can't sustain a war with a super power or a block like Nato for more than a few weeks with equipment breaking. Period.

On the other hand, the Chinese are creating a blue water Navy, only second to the US. I know for a fact that they are still a decade behind the US, but that's not to say they will not be a super power in a decade. Unlike Russia, the Chinese hold a HUGE trade advantage around the world, and can actually support a much larger war machine than Russia.

There is a reason why the West decided to put money into India to have some hedge against the Chinese at its door steps. Problem is, knowing the Indians and their philosophy, they are using the West to their advantage, to take our money and grow large, economically and militarily. I think we are being blind sided by the Indians and Western leaders won't open up their eye due to Indian lobby and $$$$ being poured in to keep their eyes shut. When shiit hits the fan, India won't jump in to support the West, and will simply say, we don't have a direct conflict with the Chinese and that our democratic system runs on people, and people want NO war with the Chinese. End of the story.

At the end, a war with China and the West, would weaken both sides and it would give birth to a new power called India, which otherwise will never be a super power under the current status quo. So here's the great world plan and Russia is no where in this game and definitely not a super power able to project anything 500 away from its borders.

 

[j20blackdragon]

Here's an incomplete list of Chinese next gen weapons:

DF-21D
WU-14 Mach 10 HGV
J-20
FC-31
H-20
Divine Eagle UAV
Sharp Sword UCAV
052D
055
095
096
001A
002

Now someone give me the Russian equivalent to ALL of these programs.

 

[soundwave1987]

You are sadly mistaken if you are putting China vs. Russia. I, like the remainder of the Americans, consider China the main threat to the United States, and Russia a big foe, but a bit more serious than say Iran or North Korea with a bigger force of course. When a country doesn't have money to pay its soldiers, it can't sustain a war with a super power or a block like Nato for more than a few weeks with equipment breaking. Period.

On the other hand, the Chinese are creating a blue water Navy, only second to the US. I know for a fact that they are still a decade behind the US, but that's not to say they will not be a super power in a decade. Unlike Russia, the Chinese hold a HUGE trade advantage around the world, and can actually support a much larger war machine than Russia.

There is a reason why the West decided to put money into India to have some hedge against the Chinese at its door steps. Problem is, knowing the Indians and their philosophy, they are using the West to their advantage, to take our money and grow large, economically and militarily. I think we are being blind sided by the Indians and Western leaders won't open up their eye due to Indian lobby and $$$$ being poured in to keep their eyes shut. When shiit hits the fan, India won't jump in to support the West, and will simply say, we don't have a direct conflict with the Chinese and that our democratic system runs on people, and people want NO war with the Chinese. End of the story.

At the end, a war with China and the West, would weaken both sides and it would give birth to a new power called India, which otherwise will never be a super power under the current status quo. So here's the great world plan and Russia is no where in this game and definitely not a super power able to project anything 500 away from its borders.

Dude I can't agree with you about India. I think size or scale matters ultimately. 30 years ago ppl usually viewed China as a major political power but certainly not a economical or military power and definitely not a super power. No one back then could predict what China has achieved today or what China will become tomorrow. China enjoys her success on the very foundation of fastly modernised and industrialised vast population which become a inseparable part of international industry chain. In fact I think this is the core and essence of every industrialised economies( US/EU/JP/CN etc). India too has a vast population to be modernlised and industrilised and I don‘t think any international or political power chould ever prevent it from happening ( only delay it maybe). Especially when China, a major economy, finish her modernisation and industrialisation process, India will face less resource restrain( less resource competition in infrastructure department, more efficient manufacturing technology, new resource discovery and utilisation etc) to complate her own modernisation and industrialisation. Of course India faces many obstacles internationally and domestically but can‘t say they have no chance under current status.
As for Russia, although the de-industrialisation seems to be gloomy in some circumstance but military equipment has become an important and competitive factor in their manufacturing department as well as one of major cash flows in finance. There are reasons to believe that Russia will remain one of the finest military power and a major player in both weaponry market and world politics( even consider not their HUGE nuclear arsenal and Soviet legacy) in predictable future but not a less power like Iran or N.K.

Here's an incomplete list of Chinese next gen weapons:

DF-21D
WU-14 Mach 10 HGV
J-20
FC-31
H-20
Divine Eagle UAV
Sharp Sword UCAV
052D
055
095
096
001A
002

Now someone give me the Russian equivalent to ALL of these programs.

Only when we finish these systems we can compare them with russian counterparts. Even when all these weapon complete, Russia still maintain certain advantages like long range SAM (their S-400 and S-500 are maturer than our HQ-18) and nuke subs( we don’t know if 095 & 096 are better than or even comparatable with Akula and Typhoon). They have Pak-Fa and Pak-Da program, as well as new gen destroyer and AC. We are now still using Russian parts like jet engines in some of our weapon system, so we can't be too cocky about our achivement. Even when we can lead in all aspects it is better to be humble, for we don't know when or on what others will catch up or surpass, so just keep on our own pace to advance and respect others.