Saudi Arabia orders 300 Chinese strike-capable reconnaissance unmanned aerial vehicles

[Zarvan]

Wing Loong II
Saudi Arabia has signed a contract for the acquisition of 300 of the newest Chinese strike-capable reconnaissance unmanned aerial long-haul vehicles Wing Loong II (also known as Pterodactyl II).

China’s state-run Xinhua news agency reported on 28 February said the deal represented the “biggest overseas purchase order in the history of Chinese [UAV] foreign military sales”. But the identity of the customer and the size and value of the contract were not disclosed.

The export order was revealed on the same day that the Wing Loong II completed its maiden flight.

The new Wing Loong II is a long-endurance strike-capable reconnaissance unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) developed by Chengdu Aircraft Design & Research Institute (CADI), a division of the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC).

CAIG formally unveiled the Wing-Loong II during Air Show China in November 2016. The Wing Loong II has a payload of 400 kg, which can be used for armaments and/or ISR equipment. The Wing-Loong II can reach a top speed of 370 km/h and service ceiling of 9,000 m. It has an endurance of 32 hours.

While observers have noted that the Wing-Loong II bore a strong resemblance to the MQ-9 Reaper, the Wing Loong II is a smaller and lighter platform than the Reaper.

Wing Loong II

http://defence-blog.com/news/saudi-...-reconnaissance-unmanned-aerial-vehicles.html

 

[IblinI]

300,Is it confirmed by Saudi?

 

[NakedLunch]

Three Hundred? LOL! They must really like it. Saudis dont usually make such a big commitment unless its Yankee stuff. This must have really impressed them. Congrats to both the Chinese and Saudis.

 

[graphican]

May be it is not just for Saudi Arabia. But 300 is way too many. Better if they had ordered 50-80 of one type and had procured 80-100 of a different type.

 

[Zarvan]

May be it is not just for Saudi Arabia. But 300 is way too many. Better if they had ordered 50-80 of one type and had procured 80-100 of a different type.

From Saudi Arabia you can expect anything but there are chances these would be divided among various forces.

 

[JOEY TRIBIANI]

300 :O . they could ruin whole houthi tribe .

 

[HannibalBarca]

Wing Loong II
Saudi Arabia has signed a contract for the acquisition of 300 of the newest Chinese strike-capable reconnaissance unmanned aerial long-haul vehicles Wing Loong II (also known as Pterodactyl II).

China’s state-run Xinhua news agency reported on 28 February said the deal represented the “biggest overseas purchase order in the history of Chinese [UAV] foreign military sales”. But the identity of the customer and the size and value of the contract were not disclosed.

The export order was revealed on the same day that the Wing Loong II completed its maiden flight.

The new Wing Loong II is a long-endurance strike-capable reconnaissance unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) developed by Chengdu Aircraft Design & Research Institute (CADI), a division of the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC).

CAIG formally unveiled the Wing-Loong II during Air Show China in November 2016. The Wing Loong II has a payload of 400 kg, which can be used for armaments and/or ISR equipment. The Wing-Loong II can reach a top speed of 370 km/h and service ceiling of 9,000 m. It has an endurance of 32 hours.

While observers have noted that the Wing-Loong II bore a strong resemblance to the MQ-9 Reaper, the Wing Loong II is a smaller and lighter platform than the Reaper.

Wing Loong II

http://defence-blog.com/news/saudi-...-reconnaissance-unmanned-aerial-vehicles.html

May be it is not just for Saudi Arabia. But 300 is way too many. Better if they had ordered 50-80 of one type and had procured 80-100 of a different type.

From Saudi Arabia you can expect anything but there are chances these would be divided among various forces.

300 pcs for nothing in exchange.. it was mostly the price to pay for ToT and therfore KSA inland manufacturing...
But now the Q remains: And the CH-4-5 KSA manufactiring /ToT project????

ps: meanwhile we need more sources to check this info..

 

[cranwerkhan]

with this quantity and three shifts of pilots thy can monitor whole saudi border with yeman 24/7

 

[HannibalBarca]

with this quantity and three shifts of pilots thy can monitor whole saudi border with yeman 24/7

you don't need 300pcs... even with shifts and such to monitor your border with Yemen , few will be ok... . With that quantity you can monitor ALL of KSA border and you get enough to monitor every country around KSA and you get a lot of spare to even use for strikes....

For Info
US got 126 MQ-9 Reaper...

 

[T-123456]

Wow,300 times two operators(pilots) is 600 new ''pilots''?

 

[Beast]

Wing loong II spec is still far from MQ-9 reaper but it is cheaper and can be massed produced. Losses can be easily replaced unlike MQ-9.

 

[Zarvan]

It cannot be fully TOT as these drones will still require Chinese satellite data. So regardless of how much TOT is transferred, they will still pay a service fee to continue to use them.

Saudis will go for full TOT and if that is the case than How come we have Burraq ?

 

[TruthHurtz]

all saudi does is buy-buy-buy, never any results

good for china though

 

[HannibalBarca]

all saudi does is buy-buy-buy, never any results

good for china though

Why spending money+ years and years of research...when you can just buy the tech with full ToT... and make it yours and then using that knowledge already acquired to make even more advanced ones in the future...

 

[TruthHurtz]

Why spending money+ years and years of research...when you can just by the tech with full ToT...

because you never learn anything