In Burkina Faso, Sky Dragon 30 missiles point to China’s military export inroads

The West African country of Burkina Faso has tested what observers say is a Chinese Sky Dragon 30 surface-to-air missile, in the latest sign that Chinese military equipment manufacturers are making inroads into the central Sahel state.

In footage released by the Burkinabe president’s office on Tuesday, multiple missiles were fired from a mobile launch vehicle. A matching search radar vehicle also appeared in the video.

The footage is part of a documentary series marking the fourth anniversary in power by Burkina Faso’s military leader, Ibrahim Traoré.

It did not say when the tests were carried out but this is the first time the landlocked country has shown the short-to-medium range missile system.

Song Zhongping, a Chinese military commentator and former People’s Liberation Army instructor, said that in the past countries such as Burkina Faso had relied heavily on France and the United States.

“However, they now want to break free from this dependence on Western powers, adopting an independent foreign policy while choosing self-armament,” Song said.