Increasing quantities of China-made military equipment have been finding their way to Africa, traded for oil, mineral resources and even fishing rights. Zambia has used its copper resources to pay China in a number of military deals, for instance, and Kenya has been negotiating with China to trade fishing rights for arms.
Among the most popular Chinese military exports to Africa are the J-7, K-8 and Y-12 aircraft, which are relatively inexpensive and easy to operate.
China sees those countries already armed with the K-8 and J-7 aircraft as potential customers for its new FC-1 fighters.
Sources from the Russian and South African military industries say they are now keeping an eye on China's FC-1 fighter sales. The Russian military believes the FC-1 is inferior to its MiG-29 SMT and Su-30 MKA. But the Russians cannot match China's deal-making ability, as the Chinese are accepting oil and minerals in lieu of cash to pay for their equipment.
A delegation from the Nigerian air force told the author at the Cape Town Air Show in South Africa last September that their country was negotiating
with China to purchase K-8 trainer aircraft. The country imported Chinese J-7 fighters in 2006, and has expressed an interest in the FC-1.
Zimbabwe's air force delegation told the author that they were negotiating the purchase of one squadron of FC-1 fighters from China. Zimbabwe is
already equipped with K-8 trainers and J-7 fighters. In August last year one Zimbabwean K-8 trainer crashed due to pilot error, the air force
representative admitted.
The current problem lies in how Zimbabwe will be able to pay for the purchase of FC-1 fighters. A source from the South African military industry
says that China is interested in Zimbabwe's zinc and aluminum mines.
In recent years, a large number of Chinese companies have been involved in the development of mines in Angola as well. Military observers in South Africa told the author that there are many Chinese workers in Angola, and China has already become the largest importer of the country's crude oil.
A source from the Angolan military said the country was very interested in Chinese arms. He said the Angolan air force needed entry-level trainer aircraft, and therefore was discussing a deal to import Chinese aircraft.
The Angolan air force also intends to acquire new-generation advanced fighters.
A source from the South African military industry said Angola has at least eight Su-27 fighters. Since Russia denies having exported these planes to Angola, they are believed to be secondhand Su-27 fighters from Ukraine or Belarus, both of which have good military ties with Angola.
Since Angola has rich oil resources - and if combat capability is not a top priority in its choice of fighter aircraft - there is a good chance the country may trade its oil for China-made fighters.
The author has learned that the Angolan army is also in contact with China's defense manufacturer Norinco for the purchase of artillery guns, armored vehicles and ammunitions. China has been supplying an extensive range of light weapons and ammunitions to Zimbabwe and Angola.
African military sources told the author that Norinco has recently exported a certain quantity of 155-mm howitzers to North African countries, including Algeria, Sudan and Egypt. One source claimed that Algeria purchased enough 155-mm auto-propulsion howitzers to equip a battalion. This country has not traditionally been a purchaser of Chinese ground-force equipment, but seems to have taken its lead from Sudan, which first bought the howitzers.
One company of Chinese auto-propulsion 155-mm howitzers consists of six artillery vehicles, one 704-1 positioning radar and one 720-D meteorological radar. One battalion is composed of 18 155-mm howitzers, one command vehicle
and one surveillance vehicle.
This type of auto-propulsion 155-mm howitzer originated from the 45-caliber PLL01 towed howitzer, which uses extended range full bore, base bleed or rocket-assisted (ERFB-BB/RA) ammunition with a maximum range of 50 kilometers. Other ammunitions used for the howitzer are the 30-kilometer ERFB/HE (high explosive), and 39-kilometer ERFB-BB/HE. The weight of the
artillery gun is 13 tons.
Analysts from the African military industry believe that China has fitted Russian Krasnopol semi-active laser-guided gun launch projectiles on its 155-mm howitzers. The United Arab Emirates uses the Chinese-version Krasnopols, which are almost one-third cheaper than the Russian originals.
A military source also told the author that Norinco has delivered WMZ-551 6x6 wheeled armored vehicles to both Zambia and Kenya in the past three years. Kenya is not a traditional market of Chinese ground-force equipment, but as China has been competing fiercely with Russia and South Africa in selling arms in Africa, it appears to be opening up new markets.
The Royal Guards of Oman have imported 50 of these vehicles, and the Sudanese army also has them.
The WMZ-551 uses a new turret and is equipped with the 2A72 30-mm gun produced under license from Russia. The armored vehicle can be fitted with a 12.7-mm machine gun, 105-mm smoothbore gun, 120-mm mortar and four HJ-8 anti-tank missiles.
It has been reported recently that the Chinese army's light mechanized brigades have received batches of WMZ-551 wheeled armored vehicles fitted
with 120-mm mortar guns, 105-mm smoothbore guns and 2A72 30-mm cannon guns.
A source from the Chinese military industry claimed that the turrets of the WMZ-551 can be transferred to 8x8 wheeled vehicles once those have been developed.
Aside from the weapon systems fitted on board, the WMZ-551 has a combat weight of 13.5 to 19 tons. It is powered by one 235-kilowatt diesel engine, has a maximum speed of 85 kilometers per hour, a maximum duration of 600 kilometers, a length of 6.69 meters, width of 2.86 meters, and its speed in water is eight kilometers per hour.