Drone jammers sought by Chinese trade group for Russian buyers

A Chinese government trade body has sought drone detectors and jammers for apparent Russian buyers, adding to concerns that Beijing may be supplying dual-use technology to Moscow.

A Chinese government trade body has sought drone detectors and jammers for apparent Russian buyers, adding to concerns that Beijing may be supplying dual-use technology to Moscow. Foreign companies are seeking “unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) equipment,” including drone detectors and jammers, according to a procurement notice posted on May 22 on the official WeChat account of Guangdong Provincial Association for Promotion of Trade with Russia, a group set up last year to help Russian customers buy goods in China. The association, overseen by the province’s Commerce Department, said buyers wanted “interference generators, drone detectors (trade names BorisTone, Assel Labs and Bulat) or other similar technology solutions, drone suppressors, and communication band jammers.” Bulat drone detectors were developed by 3MX, a Russian company. They are known for being used by the Russian army during its 2022 invasion of Ukraine to identify drone activity. The procurement document has been removed from the association’s WeChat social media account, but it still exists on another government body’s account. The Yunfu City’s Association for the Promotion of International Trade posted the same notice on WeChat last week, asking any “interested company” with the products to submit their information.