China's Faltering Firepower: An Embarrassment in the Global Arms Market

Over the past two decades, China has emerged as one of the largest arms exporters in the world, aggressively marketing its fighter jets, tanks, missiles, naval vessels, and drones to countries in Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and Latin America.

Promising affordability, rapid delivery, and political non-interference, Beijing’s military-industrial complex has positioned itself as a counterweight to Western and Russian defence suppliers. However, beneath the veneer of cost-effective defence solutions lies an increasingly evident truth: Chinese weapons are consistently failing in real combat conditions, leading to disillusionment among buyer nations and raising serious concerns about their battlefield reliability.

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These failures are no longer anecdotal but have formed a visible pattern across continents, casting a shadow over China’s ambitions to become a credible global military power.

The JF-17 Fighter Jet: A Troubled Flagship

The JF-17 Thunder, a lightweight multirole fighter jointly developed by China’s Chengdu Aircraft Corporation and Pakistan Aeronautical Complex, was hailed as a game-changer for developing nations. Yet, for Pakistan, the JF-17 has become an operational headache. A string of accidents, most notably crashes in 2011 and 2020, have raised safety concerns. Beyond these incidents, the aircraft’s radar and electronic warfare systems have consistently proven subpar, while its engine, sourced from Russia’s Klimov RD-93 line, exhibits low endurance and performance inconsistencies. Furthermore, the aircraft has demonstrated poor survivability against modern air defence systems, significantly limiting its effectiveness in high-threat environments. This problem is not exclusive to Pakistan. Myanmar, having procured 11 JF-17 jets, was forced to ground the entire fleet due to persistent technical malfunctions, including structural cracks and radar deficiencies. By 2024, these aircraft were reportedly non-operational, effectively turning the investment into a sunk cost. For an air force with limited options, grounding an entire squadron represents more than an embarrassment; it creates a critical capability gap.

Nigeria and the F-7Ni Experience: A Costly Gamble

Nigeria’s decision to procure the F-7Ni jets, another Chinese derivative of the Soviet-era MiG-21, has similarly disappointed. A tragic mid-air collision of two F-7Ni aircraft in 2018, resulting in the death of a pilot during an Independence Day rehearsal, highlighted significant safety flaws and exposed broader operational challenges. Several Nigerian defence analysts subsequently questioned the rationale behind relying on an outdated platform unable to meet modern combat demands. Persistent maintenance issues, frequent groundings due to spare parts shortages, and unreliable airframes have further reinforced the perception that Chinese jets are appealing only on paper and budget sheets, not in actual air superiority roles.

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Drones Under Fire: Wing Loong’s Tarnished Record

In unmanned aerial systems, China has aggressively marketed its Wing Loong series drones as cheaper alternatives to the American MQ-9 Reaper. Despite widespread deployment in the Middle East and North Africa—including Libya, Iraq, and the UAE—their performance has been notably underwhelming. In Libya, multiple Wing Loong II drones operated by the Libyan National Army were shot down by opposing forces within a short period, some reportedly by relatively unsophisticated air defence systems, highlighting their vulnerability. One incident involved neutralisation by a laser-based system, particularly damaging China's claims of technological advancement. Such losses have severely undermined the operational reputation of these drones, deterring future purchases from potential buyers.

Naval Setbacks and Submarine Failures

The challenges extend beyond airpower. Chinese naval exports have encountered significant reputational damage. Malaysia notably returned two Chinese-made Littoral Mission Ships (LMS) citing operational defects and delays, following reports of poor build quality and inadequate system integration. Internally, the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) has faced its own setbacks. In 2003, submarine 361 suffered a catastrophic mechanical failure during exercises, resulting in the deaths of all 70 crew members aboard. More recently, in September 2024, reports emerged that a new Chinese nuclear-powered attack submarine sank at its shipyard before commissioning—an incident Beijing attempted to minimise, yet which severely undermined its naval credibility.

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Dangerous Tactics and Questionable Professionalism

An equally critical issue involves the aggressive operational deployment behaviour of Chinese military systems. In early 2025, close intercept incidents involving Chinese J-16 fighter jets over the South China Sea raised international alarm. These aircraft reportedly conducted dangerous manoeuvres near foreign military aircraft, deploying flares and chaff at dangerously close ranges—a tactic condemned by U.S. and Australian officials as reckless and unprofessional. Such actions increase risks of accidental conflicts and reflect poorly on the command and control doctrines behind these platforms. Even when mechanically sound, the operational usage of Chinese equipment often involves aggressive posturing and inadequate safety standards.

A Credibility Crisis in the Making

Taken together, these incidents present a troubling picture. Despite their affordability and diplomatic attractiveness, Chinese defence exports appear fundamentally flawed in engineering quality and real-world performance. Cascading failures across multiple platforms and buyer countries highlight deeper structural issues, rushed production timelines, poor quality control, and a preference for quantity over reliability. If these systems fail in peacetime or limited conflict scenarios, their effectiveness and survivability in full-scale warfare against modern militaries remain highly questionable. Repeated setbacks continue to erode trust, even among politically aligned nations, raising doubts about China's ability to build strategic partnerships through defence exports.

The Illusion of Affordability

In conclusion, while Chinese weapons may initially appear inexpensive, they are proving costly in terms of reliability, safety, and strategic credibility. Nations aiming to modernise their armed forces must weigh the attractiveness of budget-friendly procurement against the stark operational realities demonstrated across multiple regions. In the unforgiving theatre of war, unreliable weapons can mean the difference between victory and defeat. China's growing embarrassment on the global arms stage serves as a cautionary tale, highlighting the perils of prioritising cost savings over genuine capability.
 

Ashu Maan is an Associate Fellow at the Centre for Land Warfare Studies. He is currently pursuing his PhD from Amity University, Noida, in Defence and Strategic Studies.