Missile-Armed Chinese Drones Arrive In Europe As Serbia Seeks Airpower Edge

Last Saturday, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic touted the delivery of six Chinese-built CH-92A combat drones (UCAVs) for service with the Serbian military in a ceremony at a military airfield at Batajnica.

Serbia’s acquisition of the CASC CH-92 makes it the first European state to deploy Chinese combat drones, reflecting Belgrade’s deepening relationship with Beijing and its plans to domestically manufacture its own armed drones.

The Cai Hong (Rainbow) drones arrived on July 1 via an Il-78 cargo plane, along with eighteen FT-8C laser-guided missiles. The six drones constitute two complete systems or batteries. Each three-drone battery is controlled via remote video terminals and operators stations installed in a domestic six-wheel FAP-2228 trucks
Three or six more CH-92As are expected by the end of 2020, and the Chinese Global Times claims up to 24 CH-92As in total may eventually be delivered.

Reflecting China’s no-questions-asked approach to arms sales, the publication notes “…China does not attach political conditions to arms sales, unlike some countries such as the US.”

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