China’s North Industries Group Corporation (Norinco), the country’s largest ground-based arms manufacturer, is showcasing a range of advanced air defence and artillery systems at the Eurosatory defence exhibition in Paris this week. The biennial event, one of the world’s largest of its kind, highlights growing global demand for counter-drone and missile defence technologies driven by recent conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East.
Norinco’s display focuses heavily on anti-drone air defence capabilities, reflecting the increasing prominence of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and missile threats in modern warfare. Central to the exhibit are its surface-to-air missile systems, including the medium-range GAS9, also known as Sky Dragon 100, which can engage targets up to 100 kilometers away, and the shorter-range GAS8 (Yitian II) with a 20-kilometer interception range. Together, these systems form a layered defence network designed to counter a spectrum of aerial threats.
In addition to missile systems, Norinco is promoting gun and laser-based anti-aircraft solutions. The SA2/LD76 is a highly mobile, self-propelled anti-aircraft gun mounted on a remote-controlled turret, featuring a 76mm caliber barrel targeting modern asymmetric threats such as drone swarms, cruise missiles, and precision-guided munitions. Complementing this is the OW5-A50 close-in weapon system, which uses a 50-kilowatt high-energy laser to neutralize drones, offering a lower-cost alternative to traditional surface-to-air missiles.
All these air defence technologies are integrated within the SWS2 (LD35) weapons system, combining missile and gun capabilities to provide comprehensive protection against missiles and UAVs.
Norinco also presented miniature models of its combat unmanned aerial systems, described as “escorts,” underlining the growing role of UAVs beyond reconnaissance and strike missions.
The recent US-Israeli conflict with Iran, which concluded with a memorandum of understanding last Sunday, has underscored the depletion of surface-to-air missile stockpiles in the Gulf region. The hostilities saw Iran deploy swarming Shahed drones and a mix of cruise and ballistic missiles targeting US military bases and Gulf states. In response, the US redeployed Patriot and THAAD missile defence batteries from South Korea to the Middle East to bolster regional air defences.
Similarly, Ukrainian and Russian forces have conducted extensive UAV operations during the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, with unmanned strikes reportedly responsible for as much as 80 percent of casualties. This dynamic has revitalized interest in cost-effective, ground-based weaponry such as artillery and armoured vehicles, which offer precise long-range firepower and mobility against drone threats, potentially replacing more expensive aircraft and missile systems.
Norinco’s artillery offerings at Eurosatory include the SH-16A 155mm 8x8 wheeled unmanned turret gun howitzer, alongside its established SH-15 and SH-8 self-propelled systems, both compatible with NATO-standard 155mm calibres. The SH-15, the export variant of the PCL-181, has already been sold to countries including Pakistan, Ethiopia, and Myanmar. Also exhibited was a scale model of the SR-5 multiple-launch rocket system, which has found customers in Algeria, Bahrain, Jordan, Laos, the United Arab Emirates, and Venezuela.
Through its latest technology showcase, Norinco emphasizes the evolution of aerial and artillery capabilities to meet the demands of modern, drone-centric warfare and shifting geopolitical security landscapes.