Burkina Faso has taken delivery of a significant shipment of Chinese-made armoured vehicles and artillery systems, highlighting a growing shift among African militaries toward Beijing’s defence industry.
- Burkina Faso received Chinese-made armoured vehicles and artillery systems, signaling a shift towards Beijing’s defense industry.
- The delivery includes VN22B vehicles, PLL-05 gun-mortars, and SR5 rocket systems, enhancing operational capabilities.
- China’s military equipment gains traction in Africa due to competitive pricing, fast delivery, and flexible financing options.
According to Defense Blog, the delivery includes VN22B wheeled fire support vehicles, PLL-05 120 mm self-propelled gun-mortars, and SR5 multiple rocket launch systems.
Footage posted on social media showed rows of the newly painted vehicles in desert and tropical camouflage at a port facility before onward transport to the landlocked West African nation.
The VN22B, developed by China’s Norinco, is equipped with a turret-mounted cannon and advanced targeting systems, optimised for both urban and open-terrain engagements. The PLL-05 combines mortar and direct-fire gun capabilities for flexible support, while the SR5 rocket system can deploy both guided and unguided munitions for precision or saturation strikes.
Although Burkina Faso’s Ministry of Defence has not disclosed the financial terms of the acquisition, details on the method of payment remain unclear.
However, given World Bank’s SIPRI-based data showing that the country’s arms imports fell to $1 million in 2022 from $28 million in 2021, with an average annual value of $5.76 million since 1961, and considering the country’s strained public finances, defence analysts say it is uncertain whether the purchase was made through direct payment, concessional loans, barter or deferred arrangements.
Minister of Defence, Brigadier General Kassoum Coulibaly has previously confirmed that the procurement is part of a multi-phase modernisation plan announced by the Junta leader, Captain Ibrahim Traoré on 31 December 2023, aimed at equipping the armed forces for high-intensity operations in the Sahel.
Chinese-made military hardware gains ground in Africa
Recall that In June 2024, Burkina Faso received earlier batches of Chinese armoured vehicles, including CS/VP14 and VP11 mine-resistant ambush-protected (MRAP) units, under a modernisation programme, according to Military Africa.
Chinese military equipment has become increasingly visible across Africa. The VP11 armoured vehicle, also manufactured by Norinco, is already in service with Côte d’Ivoire, Gabon, and Mali, while Kenya fields the CS/VP14 mine-resistant ambush-protected vehicle.
The appeal lies in competitive pricing, fast delivery, and flexible financing, factors that have made China an attractive alternative to traditional Western suppliers.
Ouagadougou has also expanded procurement beyond China. In the past year, Burkina Faso has acquired Egyptian-made Buffalo E10 mine-resistant vehicles and Turkish Ejder Yalçın armoured personnel carriers, reflecting a deliberate policy of supplier diversification.
For China, the deliveries are part of a broader diplomatic and commercial push into Africa’s security sector, leveraging arms sales to deepen bilateral ties.
However, for Burkina Faso, the new systems are expected to boost mobility, firepower, and deterrence in a conflict environment that continues to strain the country’s security forces.
