China’s Flying Army: The secret drone tech fueling Pakistan’s new edge

Produced by: Manoj Kumar

Swarm Nation

China’s drone “mothership” can release over 100 kamikaze drones mid-air—turning the sky into a battlefield. With AI-powered coordination, these swarms are built to blind and overwhelm even advanced air defenses.

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Sky Reapers

The Wing Loong II carries 12 precision bombs, flies for 32 hours, and rivals the US MQ-9 Reaper. It’s not just flying over Xinjiang—it’s already operational with Pakistan, raising red flags in Delhi.

AI Arsenal

China’s new micro-drones come with neural processors. One soldier, one controller, a dozen drones—each one capable of autonomous navigation, explosive delivery, and facial recognition-based targeting.

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Undersea Eyes

China’s Wing Loong-X doesn't just scan the sky—it hunts underwater. Armed with sonar buoys and torpedoes, it expands drone warfare into oceans India has long considered safe zones.

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Pakistan’s Payload

Over 30 Chinese Wing Loong drones are now part of Pakistan’s fleet. Post-Balakot, these UAVs were reportedly used for border surveillance—and their strike potential is no longer just theoretical.

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Punjab’s Drone Dilemma

369 drone incursions were recorded in Punjab in 2023 alone. Smuggling, spying, and cross-border scouting—China’s tech, Pakistan’s border playbook, and India’s porous defenses paint a grim picture.

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Sky Saturation

Ukraine’s 117-drone attack destroyed 40 Russian aircraft in one night. China watched, learned, and built better. India, facing both China and Pakistan, may be next in line to face saturation strikes.

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Proxy Pipeline

China doesn’t just export drones—it builds capacity. Co-development projects with Pakistan now include strike drones and swarm control systems, creating a two-front drone ecosystem flanking India.

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Counter Gap

India’s ban on Chinese drone imports came too late. While it ramps up indigenous efforts, experts warn its counter-drone tech is years behind China’s—making every delay a vulnerability.

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