Irrawaddy-Aug 3
A new investigation by Conflict Armament Research (CAR) has uncovered how the Myanmar military is circumventing international sanctions by using advanced European technology to fortify its armed drones. Despite longstanding European Union (EU) arms embargoes and export restrictions targeting Myanmar’s junta, CAR field investigators have documented the use of European-made global navigation satellite system (GNSS) receivers in Myanmar military drones. These high-precision modules are equipped with anti-jamming capabilities, which protect the drones from electronic interference and allow for more effective attacks using aerial munitions. The GNSS modules were discovered integrated into rotary UAVs – modified hexacopters and quadcopters – recovered in conflict zones such as Karenni and Chin States. These drones had been adapted for offensive use, with release mechanisms installed to deploy mortar rounds and domestically manufactured aerial bombs. CAR traced the modules back to a European manufacturer, which shipped the components in mid-2023 to a vetted distributor in China. The trail then led through two Chinese companies, with the final recipient located in Ruili, a major border town adjacent to conflict areas in Myanmar. One of the drones was recovered within weeks of the modules being sold to the Ruili-based firm, highlighting a rapid diversion from commercial to military use. Although the GNSS units were not listed under the EU’s Dual-Use Regulation Annex I at the time of export, the manufacturer had secured end-user declarations stating the components would not be used for military purposes or transferred to sanctioned destinations. However, Myanmar was not explicitly listed in those agreements. Upon being alerted by CAR, the manufacturer halted sales through the identified supply chain and issued instructions to block further exports to the implicated entities. The discovery underscores a pattern CAR has observed globally: the exploitation of commercial supply chains by sanctioned regimes to acquire technology for weapon development. Read more at: https://eng.mizzima.com/2025/08/03/25017
