A Chinese company has offered Russia’s military ready-made AI-guided interceptor drones and long-range fibre-optic cable, the investigative outlet The Insider reported on Nov. 3. Jiangxi Guangbo Optoelectronic Technology showed its products at Fleet 2026, a naval exhibition in Kronstadt organized by Russia’s defence ministry, and offered Russian partners joint development of solutions for specific combat tasks, according to the report.
The HJ-7 is described as a high-speed unmanned interceptor that can also be used as a strike drone. The company claims a top speed of 450 kilometres an hour, a range of 15 kilometres and a warhead of up to 500 grams, The Insider said. It can automatically detect and track targets. A lighter five-inch AI interceptor is advertised at up to 350 km/h.
The company also sells fibre-optic cable up to 100 kilometres long, along with winding equipment. Militarnyi reported that reels cost 300 yuan a kilometre, or about 30,000 yuan (US$4,500) for 100 kilometres, and noted that cable-controlled drones are harder to jam. The Insider said a 30-kilometre spool cleared customs in Moscow on June 26.
The Insider said the activity appears to contradict Beijing’s stated policy. China banned exports of civilian drones for military use from Sept. 1, 2023, and put licensing controls on certain drones and components. The outlet reported no response from the company or from Chinese authorities, and China Factor has not independently verified the claims.
Beijing is tightening drone exports further. From Nov. 18, exporters will need a licence for heavy-lift drone motors, their speed controllers and large carbon-fibre propellers, as China Factor reported on Monday.
Source: The Insider; Militarnyi.
