China Produces Cloned Iranian kamikaze drones for sale to Russia

China is known for its tendency to duplicate innovations made by others. Pictures of what seems to be a drone weapon closely resembling Iran’s Shahed 136 have surfaced on social media, leading to extensive discussions about where it might be headed. According to Defense Express, China seems to have crafted its own iteration of Iran’s renowned HESA Shahed 136 drone, known as the “Sunflower 200“. This drone is purportedly of exceptional quality and bears a striking resemblance to the original Iranian model. Its debut at China’s Army-2023 exhibition has sparked worries about the spread of such drone technology. The HESA Shahed 136, known as the “Geran-2“ when used by the Russian military, is an autonomous Iranian drone created and produced by Shahed Aviation Industries. Its primary purpose is to serve as a loitering munition capable of targeting ground objectives from a distance. It is typically launched in groups of five or more from a launch rack, aimed at overwhelming enemy air defenses and depleting their resources during an attack. The drone was publicly showcased for the first time in December 2021.