China, Saudi Arabia To Co-develop Drones

Saudi Arabia has signed a deal with China to import unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) and to set up production lines.

Partnership agreement to manufacture drones was signed during Saudi Arabia's King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud visit to China from March 15 to 18 where the two countries signed total 35 deals worth as much as $65 billion, IHS Janes reported Monday.

Manufactured by China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp (CASC), the Rainbow-4 UAV can accommodate a satellite communications antenna and has previously been displayed with AR-1 laser-guided missiles and FT-9 guided bombs, the military newspaper disclosed.

According to an agreement signed by China Aerospace Long-March International (ALIT) and manufacturers in Saudi Arabia, the Saudi-made UAVs will be marketed to other countries in the region.