China’s Wing Loong X Maritime Drone Seen as Strong Export Contender
China’s latest maritime focused combat drone, the Wing Loong X, is drawing growing attention from defense analysts who believe it could achieve significant export success, particularly among countries seeking affordable alternatives to Western systems. The aircraft was showcased at the Singapore Airshow earlier this month, where it appeared alongside other high profile platforms from the Aviation Industry Corporation of China.
While much of the spotlight at the event centered on China’s J-35A fifth generation fighter jet, experts suggested that the Wing Loong X may have broader international appeal. Designed for maritime surveillance and strike missions, the new drone expands China’s established Wing Loong family of uncrewed systems, which have already been sold to dozens of countries across the Middle East, Africa and Asia.
Military aviation researcher Andreas Rupprecht said Chinese uncrewed aircraft are increasingly viewed as credible competitors in the global market. He noted that the technological gap between Chinese systems and U.S. equivalents has narrowed in recent years, while Chinese platforms continue to maintain significantly lower price points. This combination of improving capability and competitive pricing has strengthened Beijing’s position in the combat drone segment.
At the airshow, the manufacturer displayed a full scale mock up of the Wing Loong X, marking its first presentation in Southeast Asia. Although detailed payload information was not disclosed, previous exhibitions in China showed the drone equipped with maritime specific systems, including sonobuoy dispenser pods and electric propulsion torpedoes. The aircraft reportedly features a wingspan of approximately 24 meters and is optimized for long endurance missions over coastal and open sea environments.
China already has an extensive footprint in the uncrewed systems market. Variants of the Wing Loong and CH drone series are currently operated by countries such as Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Pakistan, Morocco, Algeria, Indonesia and Nigeria. In 2024, the Royal Saudi Air Force reportedly surpassed 5,000 flight hours with its Wing Loong II fleet, underscoring the operational maturity of the platform family.
Analysts believe that some existing customers could become repeat buyers, particularly those looking to strengthen naval surveillance and anti submarine capabilities without facing Western export restrictions. Federico Borsari of the Center for European Policy Analysis said the new model could attract states that are unable to access or afford Western systems due to cost, political constraints or licensing barriers.
By contrast, China’s ambitions in the fifth generation fighter market face more obstacles. The RAND Corporation has noted that wealthier nations capable of purchasing advanced stealth aircraft are often aligned with the United States or maintain long standing procurement relationships with Russia. Although Beijing reportedly offered dozens of J-35A jets to Pakistan in 2025, deliveries have yet to be finalized.
Against this backdrop, analysts argue that uncrewed systems such as the Wing Loong X remain China’s most commercially viable path in the defense export sector, especially as maritime security concerns continue to rise across Asia, the Middle East and Africa.
