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| CH-3 UAV |
Wendell Minnick
TAIPEI — The state-controlled China Daily news outlet published what it says was an exclusive interview with Shi Wen, chief drone designer at the China Academy of Aerospace Aerodynamics, Beijing, detailing foreign sales of the Cai Hong-series (Rainbow-series) of unmanned aerial vehicles to the Middle East and Africa, including the armed CH-3 and CH-4 medium-altitude, long-endurance UAVs.
Egypt, Iraq, Myanmar, Nigeria, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates are known users of the CH-series. In the April 21 interview, Shi was quoted as saying that foreign militaries are interested in the CH-series because of their affordability and capabilities. Shi said the “total value of contracts we signed in 2015 could definitely be one of the highest in terms of armed drone deals made last year on the international market … hundreds of millions of US dollars."
Robert Michelson, principal research engineer emeritus at the Georgia Tech Research Institute, said that Chinese manufacturing no doubt makes the aircraft affordable and therefore attractive to developing nations' militaries and those seeking affordable, yet expendable, reconnaissance assets.
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