Response to the S-400; China and Pakistan Agree to Jointly Manufacture 48 Elite Wing Loong II Attack Drones

In response to India's recent order for several battalions of the elite S-400 surface to air missile system from Russia, China has reportedly taken steps to increase the combat capabilities of its own South Asian ally Pakistan. In the largest arms deal of its kind, Pakistan's armed forces are set to acquire 48 Wing Long II attack drones - some of the world's most capable combat UAVs with capabilities comparable to those of the U.S. Predator. The Chinese platform is capable of deploying up to 12 air to surface missiles, and is considerably more capable than the original Wing Loong - an analogue to the U.S. Reaper - which became available for export from 2011 and has been widely exported across Africa, Asia, Europe and the Middle East. The elite new drone carries a formidable payload of up to 400kg, and it can deploy three types of munitions. These munitions include Lan Jian (Blue Arrow) 7 laser guided air to ground missiles, TG100 guided bombs, and AR-1/HJ-10 anti-tank missiles. The Wing Loong II has a maximum speed of 370 kilometers per hour (Mach 0.3 - still subsonic) and a 1,500km combat radius (triple that of the F-16). 

The United Arab Emirates reportedly became the first client for the elite Wing Loong II in late 2017, and the aircraft has provided an effective means  for the Arab state to strike targets from the Ansurullah Coalition in Yemen. The platform will in Pakistani hands prove highly effective in both counterinsurgency and conventional roles, and will considerably enhance the strike capabilities of the Pakistani military. The drones nevertheless fall short of being an adequate response to the S-400 missile system India is set to acquire, with the elite Russian made missile platform well within its limits to target aircraft far faster, higher flying and stealthier than the Wing Loong II and theoretically capable of destroying the entire fleet of 48 drones simultaneously within seconds should they mount a joint attack. Whether China will attempt to provide a specialised munition capable of better penetrating the S-400's defences, a difficult feat considering the high precision and hypersonic speeds of the Russian platform's interceptor missiles, remains to be seen. One considerable possibility however is that Pakistan could acquire more advanced long range surface to air missile platforms of its own such as the Chinese HQ-9B or upcoming HQ-9C to provide some form of limited parity with India's new weapon. While reports have indicated that Pakistan had itself considered acquiring the S-400 or an advanced variant of the S-300, India's contract with Russia regarding the sale of the S-400 specifically stipulates that Pakistan cannot be sold any similar system - leaving China as the only likely potential supplier of an advanced air defence platform for the smaller South Asian state.