China has delivered HJ-73D anti-tank missile systems and assault rifles to South Sudan 1507142

a

Defence & Security News - China

 
 
Tuesday, July 15, 2014 10:32 PM
 
China has delivered HJ-73D anti-tank missile systems and assault rifles to South Sudan.
China is selling $38 million worth of HJ-73D anti-tank missiles, grenade launchers, machine guns and ammunition to South Sudan’s government, even as it pledges to help end a civil war in the country now on the brink of famine.
     
China is selling $38 million worth of HJ-73D anti-tank missiles, grenade launchers, machine guns and ammunition to South Sudan’s government, even as it pledges to help end a civil war in the country now on the brink of famine.
HJ-73 anti-tank missile system of Chinese army
     
China North Industries Group Corp., the nation’s biggest arms manufacturer known as Norinco, shipped a consignment of weapons to the East African nation last month, according to marine-insurance documents sent to Bloomberg by an industry representative and confirmed by the broker handling insurance for the shipment. South Sudanese Defense Minister General Kuol Manyang Juuk confirmed the purchase and said the consignment was ordered “well before” he was appointed in July, five months before violence broke out in the country on Dec. 15.

The documents include a packing list that details the shipment of 9,574 automatic rifles, 2,394 grenade launchers, 4 million bullets for automatic rifles, 2 million rounds of pistol ammunition, 319 machine guns, 660 pistols, 20,000 rounds of 40-millimeter anti-personnel grenades and 4,000 rounds of 40-millimeter “heat rockets.”

Another packing list, detailing goods worth $14.5 million, includes 100 HJ-73D anti-tank weapons systems, 1,200 anti-tank missiles and spare parts.

Chinese antitank missile system HJ-73 (Hong Jian -" Red Arrow ") refers to the first generation anti-tank guided missiles in service with the Chinese army. The HJ-73D is an improved variant using SACLOS technology.

Semi-automatic command to line of sight (SACLOS) is a method of missile guidance. In SACLOS, the operator has to continually point a sighting device at the target while the missile is in flight. Electronics in the sighting device and/or the missile then guide it to the target.

The missile of the HJ-73D variant is equipped with a tandem shaped-charge warhead able to penetrate tanks that are protected with explosive reactive armour (ERA).