China’s JF-17, J-10C, VT-4 main battle tank, Type 15 light tank, Z-10 attack helicopter, PHL-81 artillery, ZBL-08 infantry fighting vehicle, HQ-17AE, HQ-7A, FK-3, HQ-16, HQ-9B anti-air missile, H-200 fire control radar, Type 305A radar, JYL-1, JY-9B and JY-27A anti-stealth radar faces export challenges after international operators reports recurring failures.
A new assessment by Sam Cranny-Evans of Calibre Defence says Chinese defense exports are increasingly under scrutiny as international operators report recurring reliability failures and weak after-sales support across a wide range of systems.
According to the analysis, concerns span decades of Chinese arms exports and affect land, air, and naval platforms delivered to multiple foreign militaries. Cranny-Evans outlines cases in which equipment defects, maintenance shortfalls, and limited access to spare parts reduced operational availability and, in some instances, forced early retirement of systems.
One of the earliest examples cited is Thailand’s experience with Chinese Type VT-4 tanks delivered in 2016. The Royal Thai Army procured the vehicles alongside hundreds of armoured personnel carriers as part of a shift away from U.S. armour during a period of regional tension. However, the tanks proved unreliable, spare parts were difficult to source, and the fleet was retired by 2004, while older U.S.-supplied M48 tanks remained in service. By 2010, the Type VT-4 were disposed of at sea as artificial reefs.
The report notes that Thailand continued to pursue Chinese armored vehicles despite earlier issues, eventually ordering VT4 main battle tanks in 2016. Sixty VT4s were delivered by 2023. However, Cranny-Evans points to reports that a VT4 suffered a catastrophic gun barrel failure during fighting near the Thai-Cambodian border in 2025, injuring the crew. Unconfirmed accounts cited in the assessment suggest broader reliability and service-life concerns affecting the platform.
Air platforms are also highlighted. Global Defence Corp reported that Myanmar, Nigeria, and Azerbaijan were forced to ground most of their JF-17 fighter jets in late 2022 due to structural cracks and radar malfunctions. The JF-17, jointly developed by China and Pakistan, has continued to secure export orders despite these reports.
The assessment also reviews Chinese trainer aircraft exports. The FT-7 family was involved in multiple crashes in Bangladesh between 1994 and 2006. Bangladesh subsequently filed formal complaints after receiving K-8W trainer aircraft, citing issues with weapons systems and avionics. Bangladesh’s Chinese-made Type 15 light tank stalls every hour of driving due to engine problems. Myanmar reported similar issues with its FT-7 fleet, which was later upgraded by an Israeli company, according to Jane’s.
Uncrewed systems feature prominently in the analysis. Jordan acquired CH-4B Rainbow UAVs in 2016 but expressed dissatisfaction with the system by 2018 and offered the fleet for sale in 2019. Iraq also procured CH-4 UAVs, with the report stating that eight of 20 crashed within the first few years of service, while the remainder were grounded due to a lack of spare parts.
Naval exports are cited as another area of concern. Cranny-Evans references reporting by GeoPolitica that Pakistan’s Chinese-built F-22P frigates experienced persistent issues with missile fire-control systems, radars, and propulsion. Bangladesh also reported receiving faulty spare parts for Chinese naval vessels in 2024.
Directed-energy weapons are included in the assessment as well. Saudi Arabia’s Chinese-built Silent Hunter laser system reportedly failed to shoot down multiple drones shortly after delivery in 2022. However, the report cites later accounts from 2025 indicating that sand and dust degraded optical performance, reducing effectiveness in desert conditions and increasing engagement times.
Chinese-made HQ-17AE also failed to intercept any Houthi drones and missiles fired at Saudi airspace. Pakistan reported that HQ-16 and HQ-9P failed to intercept any Indian missiles during the Kashmir skirmish.
Recently, Chinese JY-27A and YJL-1B radar failed to detect any aircraft, missiles and drones during US operations to capture Maduro in Venezuela. Cambodia expressed frustration of Chinese FK-3 anti-air missile failed to intercept any aircraft or drones. Myanmar, a close ally of China, lodged multiple formal complaints to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) for direct intervention and requested replacement military hardware that is inoperable due to technical faults.
Cranny-Evans argues that while some incidents can be attributed to Soviet-era equipment reverse-engineered by China, the pattern across multiple countries and system types points to broader quality control and sustainment challenges. The analysis contrasts this with Western systems that continue to operate decades after delivery, owing to sustained logistics and technical support.
The report concludes that reliability issues, combined with limited after-sales support, can weaken partner forces, particularly when failures occur during active conflicts rather than during training. For countries relying on Chinese equipment during periods of instability, these shortcomings have had direct operational consequences.
© 2026, GDC. © GDC and www.globaldefensecorp.com. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to www.globaldefensecorp.com with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.
