Feral Jundi

In general, the price of Chinese weapons is still about one-third lower than comparable Russian weapons. More importantly, what China wants from Africa is resources, especially crude oil, and it has already exported substantial numbers of weapons in exchange for oil. In dealing with oil-producing countries China has an advantage over Russia, which as a major world oil producer has no need to trade weapons for oil.

This is a quick heads up. I was watching a video the other day on the latest news about Al Shabab in Somalia and a particular weapon of theirs caught my eye in the footage.(.16 in the footage) This thing is a Chinese made 35 mm automatic grenade launcher called the QLZ 87 or Type 87.

My question is who is providing Al Shabab with Chinese made automatic grenade launchers?  Or perhaps they captured this weapon in one of their raids? Or with their connections with Al Qaeda, and the chaos going on throughout the middle east, AQ is able to funnel these types of weapons to them?  Who knows…? The other weapons in the video were interesting as well, and if anyone can identify those weapons, please say so in the comments. Especially the rocket launchers. I would also be curious if those are Chinese versions of Russian equipment, or in fact they are Russian weapons.

Now imagine a QLZ 87 in the hands of a pirate? A launcher equipped with a 6 or 15 round drum, slinging 35mm grenades that have a better blast radius than our 40mm, and at a distance of between 600 to 1750 meters.

And if ‘the price of Chinese weapons is still about one-third lower than comparable Russian weapons’ on the African market, then logic would say we will see stuff like this out there. Especially if the quality has increased and the Chinese have made this stuff available. (that’s what the article below mentioned) Interesting stuff. –Matt

Edit: 09/02/2011- I believe the launchers in the video are Carl Gustav 84 mm Recoilless rifles.

The QLZ 87 in Al Shabab video, August 31 2011.

QLZ87 35mm Automatic Grenade Launcher

The QLZ87 (also known as Type 87) is the 35mm automatic grenade launcher developed by NORINCO in the late 1980s. Designed to provide direct fire support for infantry troops, the Type 87 is the first grenade launcher that has entered service with the PLA as a standard weapon equipment. The weapon was described as “mini infantry artillery” and has been serving with the PLA infantry (including airborne forces and the Marine Corps) at platoon and company level since the mid-1990s.
Programme
The PLA began to study the use of grenade launcher in its infantry units in the 1970s. Reverse-engineering of the U.S. M-79 40mm grenade launcher and the Soviet AGS-17 35mm automatic grenade launcher was carried out in the late 1970s, but these weapons did not enter service. In the mid-1980s, NORINCO introduced the W87 35mm automatic grenade launcher for export market, and the weapon was widely seen as an indication of success in the Chinese indigenous grenade launcher programme. By the late 1980s, NORINCO introduced new improved version of the W87 for the use of the PLA. The weapon entered service with the PLA in the mid-1990s under the designation QLZ87.
The QLZ87 is available in two variants: the standard variant and the tripod-mounted heavy variant. The standard variant with a combat weight of 12kg can be carried and fired by a single soldier and is mainly for the engaging targets within 600m distance. The heavy variant with a combat weight of 20kg is carried by a crew of three and has a longer range (>1,750m). The weapon delivers 25kg HE or HEAT grenades in either single or burst mode, with a sustained rate of fire of 45rds/min.
Compared to the U.S. MK19-3 40mm automatic grenade launcher, the QLZ87 is inferior in range,  muzzle velocity, and rate of fire. However, the Chinese 35mm grenade, though lighter than the MK19-3’s 40mm grenade, has better performance in blasting radius (MK19-3: 7m; Type 87: 11m) and armour penetration (MK19-3: 51mm; Type 87: 80mm). Unlike the MK19-3, which can only be fired on tripod, the Type 87 can be carried and fired by a single soldier.
Design
The QLZ87 is a man portable, gas-operated, air-cooled, fully automatic weapon. It fires 35mm HE and HEAT grenades in either single or burst mode. The grenades are fed to the weapon using 6-round (standard variant) or 15-round (heavy variant) cartridge drum. The weapon is equipped with an optical aiming sight. The standard and heavy variants are almost identical in basic designs. The standard variant has a fold-able bipod for shooting, while the heavy variant is mounted on a tripod. If necessary, the weapon can also be mounted on vehicles or helicopters. As well as engaging ground targets, the weapon is claimed to be also capable of attacking low-flying airborne targets.
Specifications
Calibre: 35mm

Muzzle velocity: 200m/s

Firing mode: Single, burst

Max range: (standard) 600m; (heavy) 1,750m

Weight: (standard, with scope) 12kg; (heavy, with scope) 20kg

Elevation: (heavy, mounted on tripod) -10~70 degrees

Traverse: 360 degrees

Rate of fire: (sustained) 45 rds/min

Grenade weight: 250g

Ammunition: HE, HEAT
Link to weapon description here.
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Russian, Chinese weapons compete in Africa
By Andrei Chang
December 19, 2008
Hong Kong, China — China is increasingly challenging Russia in the African arms trade, offering lower prices on weapons that, ironically, are often made in China with Russian technologies. Chinese products are less expensive than Russian and Western systems, similar to the Russian systems that many African countries are familiar with, easy to maintain and easy to use in training.
Many countries are therefore switching allegiance to China for their weapons purchases. A typical example is Sudan. At a 2007 military parade, the Khartoum regime showcased its China-made T96 main battle tanks and T92 wheeled armoured vehicles.

The T92 is fitted with Russian 2A72 30-mm machine guns. Russia’s KBP Design Bureau transferred the machine-gun technology to China in 1996, along with fire-control technology for the BMP-3 infantry fighting vehicle.
Sudan has also acquired K-8 trainer aircraft, Q-5 attackers and FN-6 portable ground-to-air missiles from China. Traditionally, Sudan has been a client of Russia, from whom it has purchased BMP-1 and BMP-2 infantry fighting vehicles, BTR-50 wheeled IFVs and T54/55 main battle tanks.
The Sudanese Air Force is equipped with both Russian-made MiG-23 fighter aircraft and Chinese-made J-7 fighters.
China first used its K-8 fighter trainers to open up the military aircraft market in African countries, then went on to offer its inexpensive fighters as an alternative to Russian aircraft.
Chinese-made main battle tanks have begun to replace the Russian-made T54/55 in one African country after another. In 2006, China exported T96 MBTs to Uganda, which is another traditional Russian weapons client. Its ground forces are currently armed with 150 T54/55 MBTs and 20 BTR-60 armoured personnel carriers, and its air force is equipped with 6 MiG-21s and 5 MiG-23s from Russia.
In the past, Chinese-made arms were known for their low prices and poor quality – and as such were no match for the Russian, European and U.S. weapons in Africa. But this situation is being reversed. Starting 10 years ago, as China received technological support from Russia and Ukraine, the quality gap between Chinese-made ground force equipment and systems from Russia or the West has greatly narrowed.
For instance, China is now actively promoting its FC-1 fighters to African countries, and Nigeria has expressed keen interest in this combat aircraft. The FC-1 is fitted with Russian-made RD-93 engines.
China has already introduced its J-10A fighter to the international market, under the name FC-20. The J-10A is currently fitted with Russian-made AL-31FN turbojet engines; it is very likely that China will offer the J-10A on the African continent after installing less expensive Chinese-made WS10A engines.
The J-10A falls into the same category as the U.S.-made F-16 Block 40, but costs at least one-third less. China has already started to manufacture a next-version J-11B, based on the Russian Su-27SK.
China denies that its aircraft is an imitation of the Russian fighter, as its measurements are smaller. Therefore China does not consider the J-11B to be subject to the Su-27SK licensing agreement or its export restrictions. The J-11B is also likely to be fitted with Chinese WS10A engines and sold in Africa.

In general, the price of Chinese weapons is still about one-third lower than comparable Russian weapons. More importantly, what China wants from Africa is resources, especially crude oil, and it has already exported substantial numbers of weapons in exchange for oil. In dealing with oil-producing countries China has an advantage over Russia, which as a major world oil producer has no need to trade weapons for oil.
For instance, China sold 15 J-7 fighters to oil-rich Nigeria in 2005. Nigeria is another country that has purchased most of its military hardware from Russia in the past. It has a fleet of Russian MiG-21MF fighters, and the Nigerian army is equipped with 100 Russian T55 main battle tanks.
The one African country where Chinese arms purchases have completely replaced those from Russia is Egypt. Since tilting toward the U.S.-led Western camp in 1979, Egypt has continued to import Chinese arms. With technological support from China, Egypt has assembled 80 K-8 trainers and is assembling another 40, for a total of 120 K-8 trainers in the Egyptian Air Force. This makes it China’s top customer for this item.
Egypt still has weapon systems from the Soviet Union, including at least 800 T54/55 MBTs, 200 sealed BMP-1 IFVs, and about 60 MiG-21s for training purposes. But due to an insufficient supply of parts, Egypt decided to switch to Chinese aircraft and purchased 53 J-7 fighters from China.

Other African countries that have acquired China’s K-8 trainers include Zambia, with eight aircraft, Namibia with four, Zimbabwe with 12, Ghana with four and Sudan with 12. China has also had contacts with these countries concerning its FC-1 fighters.
All these countries have traditionally been Russia’s weapons clients. The Namibian army has T54/55 tanks and its air force is equipped with Russian An-26 transport aircraft. Meanwhile, Namibia has also purchased two Y-12 transport aircraft from China.
Zambia uses both Chinese and Russian arms. The Zambian army is equipped with both T44s and Chinese T59 MBTs, which are now undergoing an upgrade with help from China. The Zambian air force also uses both MiG-21 and J-6 fighters.
China has exported to Zimbabwe T59 and T69 MBTs, and most of its ground forces’ equipment is from China. Of course Russian SAM-7 surface-to-air missiles are still in service here. The Zimbabwean air force has six MiG-23 fighters and nine J-7 fighters.
Ghana traditionally has been a client country of Western weapons manufacturers. It does have some Russian equipment in service however, including SAM-7 surface-to-air missiles, Zu-23-2 air defence machine guns and D-30 122-mm howitzers.
China is now promoting its latest gun-launched laser-guided projectiles on the African continent. At least one African country is already equipped with the Chinese-made GP1 155-mm laser-guided projectiles, which are a Chinese version of Russia’s Krasnopol GLLGP, the technology for which was transferred to China by the KBP Design Bureau in 1997.
Chinese arms are also actively penetrating North Africa’s Arab countries. Algeria has been a typical purchaser of Russian equipment. The Algerian army has 320 T54/55s and 350 T72s, as well as AT-3, AT-4 and AT-5 anti-tank missiles, 289 BMP-1/2 IFVs and SAM-7, SAM-8, SAM-9 and SAM-14 ground missiles.
The Algerian air force is armed with 43 MiG-21MFs, 30 MiG-23B/Es, 28 MiG-23Fs, 20 MiG-29s, 10 MiG-25s, 38 Su-24Ms, approximately 60 Mi-17/171s and 31 Mi-24s. Its navy has two Kilo submarines, three Nanuchika II missile swift boats and three Project 1159.2 frigates.
The Algerian navy also has three Chinese Project C-802 missile boats, built in 2002, with C-802 ship-to-ship missiles fitted onboard. These are the first such boats to be exported to Africa.
As their economic strength continues to grow, African countries will need weapons of better quality and performance. Russia will still find a huge market for its high-tech equipment in such countries as Ethiopia, Angola, Libya, Yemen and Algeria. In recent years, it has begun to sell advanced platforms like the Su-30MKA, Su-27SK and MiG-29SMT to these countries.
The Algerian air force has ordered 28 Su-30MKAs, which will be the most advanced Russian fighter aircraft on the African continent. The Bars phased array radar and AL-31FP TVC engines fitted on these aircraft are of the same standard as those on the Malaysian air force’s Su-30MKM.
The Ethiopian air force has at least 10 Su-27SKs, which have been seen at its Bebre Zeyt Airport. These will inevitably need upgrading. Also of interest is the fact that two Su-27 fighters were seen at the Asmara International Airport of Eritrea, despite the fact that Russia never officially exported Su-27 fighters to this country. Eritrea enjoys very good relations with Ukraine, however.
Yemen received 32 MiG-29SMT fighters from Russia in 2006-07. Its air force also has 66 MiG-29 fighters that will need repair service.
In the future, China’s J-11B and FC-1 will be possible alternatives to Russia’s Su-27 and MiG-29SMT fighters. The low price of Chinese fighters, supported by China’s strategy of trading arms for oil, determines that Russia will continue to face a powerful competitor in the African aviation market.
Story here.