{"id":22743,"date":"2019-01-15T17:04:19","date_gmt":"2019-01-15T17:04:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/uncategorized\/2019\/01\/15\/who-is-china-targeting-with-its-armed-drones-sales\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T18:05:03","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T18:05:03","slug":"who-is-china-targeting-with-its-armed-drones-sales","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/unmanned\/2019\/01\/15\/who-is-china-targeting-with-its-armed-drones-sales\/","title":{"rendered":"Who is China targeting with its armed drones sales?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

China is cashing in on the demand for armed drones, according to a new Department of Defense report.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

China was the fifth largest arms supplier in the world between 2012 and 2016, the report, titled \u201cAssessment on U.S. Defense Implications of China\u2019s Expanding Global Access,\u201d said. The Chinese completed more than $20 million in sales with the country\u2019s second largest arms sales going to the Middle East and North Africa \u201clikely due to the demand for armed\u201d unmanned aerial vehicles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The report<\/a>, dated December 2018 but made available Jan. 14, is mandated by law.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The report notes that the drone and armed drone market is a niche market but China is one of the world\u2019s few suppliers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In large part to China\u2019s apparent willingness to export such technology to other nations, the number of nations across the globe with armed drones has grown significantly in recent years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The United States was the first nation to use this technology in combat zones. However, the United States has historically been limited in sharing its technology with other nations and partners due to export rules, much to the frustration of friendly nations, though the Trump administration has sought to change that<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\t