{"id":"31a42df6-ce69-41e4-9d1d-eb0bb361739f","slug":"wing-loong-yemen-shootdowns-2016-2021","kind":"other","headline":"Multiple Wing Loong drones shot down in Yemen by Houthi forces (2016-2021)","summary":"Wing Loong UCAVs operated by UAE and Saudi Arabia were shot down by Houthi forces in Yemen between December 2016 and May 2021, including at least 5 confirmed shootdowns with wreckage displayed. Some were downed by air-to-air missiles adapted for ground launch.","occurredAt":"2016-12-26T00:00:00.000Z","reviewStatus":"reviewed","modelId":"b74ae9ef-b134-470f-92b6-38a436536d9d","deploymentId":"4d30a2cd-2b0a-4ab3-a0e7-b948f33a3686","companyId":null,"dataCenterId":null,"aliases":[],"collisionRisk":"none","reviewNote":null,"severity":"serious","rootCauseCategory":null,"rootCauseDetail":null,"affectedUnitsCount":null,"affectedUnitsBasis":null,"remediationStatus":null,"regulatoryAction":"none","regulatoryBody":null,"propertyDamageEstimateUsd":null,"damageEstimateBasis":null,"bodilyInjurySeverity":null,"fatalityCount":null,"lossCostClass":null,"sourceQualityTier":null,"oshaRecordable":null,"oshaCaseNumber":null,"rootCauseDisclosed":null,"publicDisclosureDate":null,"insuranceClaimPublic":null,"formFactor":null,"latitude":null,"longitude":null,"autonomyClass":null,"legalOutcomeClass":"unknown","createdAt":"2026-07-28T05:05:55.469Z","updatedAt":"2026-08-09T05:24:01.599Z","model":{"id":"b74ae9ef-b134-470f-92b6-38a436536d9d","companyId":"b28aeda5-aba8-4579-810d-68636d07aead","modelName":"Wing Loong II","slug":"wing-loong-2","description":"Chinese medium-altitude long-endurance armed UAV. 32-hour endurance, precision strike capability. Export to Middle East, Africa, and Asia. CASC/CAIG production.","formFactor":"aerial","industryVertical":"defense","environment":"airspace","maturityStage":"commercial","lifecycleState":"active","supersededByModelId":null,"specs":{"flight_time_min":"1920"},"manufacturerSerial":null,"reviewStatus":"reviewed","sources":[{"url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CAIG_Wing_Loong","title":"Wing Loong series","sourceName":"Wikipedia"},{"url":"https://english.spacechina.com/","title":"CASC official","sourceName":"CASC"}],"aliases":[],"collisionRisk":"low","reviewNote":"reverified 2026-06-09 (Kimi-incident remediation): cited primary source resolves and matches manufacturer/reputable domain; relevance spot-checked.","manufacturerTermForTeleop":null,"keyFacts":[{"label":"Type","value":"State-owned aerospace company"},{"label":"Product","value":"Wing Loong II (MALE UAV)"},{"label":"Operator","value":"PLAAF + export customers"},{"label":"Category","value":"MALE UAV (reconnaissance + strike)"}],"createdAt":"2026-06-07T15:44:25.580Z","updatedAt":"2026-07-12T05:40:56.020Z","unitsInFieldClaimed":null,"unitsInFieldVerified":null,"unitsManufacturedClaimed":null,"unitsManufacturedVerified":null,"unitsAsOf":null,"unitsSource":null,"salesModel":null,"priceUndisclosedSince":null,"autonomyClass":null,"autonomyStatement":null,"autonomyStatementSource":null,"demoForensics":null,"exportControlClass":null,"minCommitment":null,"warrantyTerms":null,"serviceModel":null,"productionRateClaimed":null,"productionRateEvidenced":null,"teleopRatioDisclosed":null,"interventionRateDisclosed":null},"deployment":{"id":"4d30a2cd-2b0a-4ab3-a0e7-b948f33a3686","modelId":"b74ae9ef-b134-470f-92b6-38a436536d9d","versionId":null,"locationId":"9cfa7e72-5909-40c0-b210-8dfccb074140","operatorId":"b28aeda5-aba8-4579-810d-68636d07aead","ownerId":null,"slug":"wing-loong-saudi-arabia","status":"operational","firstSeen":"2024-06-01T00:00:00.000Z","statusChangeReason":null,"contractType":null,"pilotOutcome":null,"endedAt":null,"unitsOnSite":null,"tasksPerformed":["delivery"],"shiftStructure":null,"hoursPerDay":6,"siteType":"port","operatorConfirmed":false,"humanSupervisionOnsite":null,"locationPrecisionTier":"verified_coordinates","deploymentScale":"medium_11_100","siteEnvironment":"outdoor","operatorType":"maker_operated","sourceQualityTier":2,"manufacturerSerial":null,"reviewStatus":"reviewed","sources":[{"url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CAIG_Wing_Loong","title":"Wing Loong series","sourceName":"Wikipedia"},{"url":"https://english.spacechina.com/","title":"CASC official","sourceName":"CASC"},{"url":"https://defence-blog.com/saudi-arabia-orders-30-chinese-strike-capable-reconnaissance-unmanned-aerial-vehicles/","title":"Saudi Arabia orders 30 Wing Loong II","sourceName":"Defence Blog"},{"url":"https://english.iswnews.com/17922/delivery-of-chinese-drones-to-the-saudi-army/","title":"Delivery of Chinese drones to Saudi Army","sourceName":"Islamic World News"}],"notes":"Royal Saudi Air Force Wing Loong II armed UAV operations. Chinese export drone used for ISR and counter-insurgency in Yemen and border regions.","keyFacts":[{"label":"Fleet","value":"Wing Loong II armed UAV"},{"label":"Operator","value":"Royal Saudi Air Force"},{"label":"Use Case","value":"ISR and counter-insurgency"},{"label":"Technology","value":"Chinese export drone"}],"reviewNote":"Verified: Saudi Arabia ordered 30-50 Wing Loong II from CAIG/CADI (Feb 2017). Deliveries ongoing through 2021 (36 of 50 reported delivered). Combat losses in Yemen confirmed April 2019 and Dec 2019. Aggregate record of Saudi armed-drone fleet.","exposureHours":null,"deploymentMilesEstimate":null,"exposureBasis":null,"customerSegment":"logistics","scaleTier":"commercial_10_99","contractValueUsd":null,"contractValueBasis":null,"customerCompanyId":null,"customerExternalName":null,"createdAt":"2026-06-07T15:44:27.353Z","updatedAt":"2026-08-21T14:22:04.487Z"},"company":null,"derived":{"status":"active"},"sources":[{"id":"356214a0-090d-418b-9514-7e7a6012a1df","incidentId":"31a42df6-ce69-41e4-9d1d-eb0bb361739f","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CAIG_Wing_Loong","label":"Wikipedia","publishedAt":null,"notes":null,"title":null,"sourceName":"Wikipedia","mediaType":"article","videoId":null,"channel":null,"durationSec":null,"timestampSec":null,"createdAt":"2026-07-28T05:05:55.469Z","updatedAt":"2026-07-28T05:05:55.469Z"}],"responses":[],"statusEvents":[{"id":"795c9311-7d78-41e7-9785-9c479dc54a67","incidentId":"31a42df6-ce69-41e4-9d1d-eb0bb361739f","status":"active","reason":null,"source":"agent:recon","effectiveAt":"2026-07-28T05:05:56.616Z","createdAt":"2026-07-28T05:05:56.616Z"}],"jsonLd":{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://registry.deploy.report/incidents/wing-loong-yemen-shootdowns-2016-2021","url":"https://registry.deploy.report/incidents/wing-loong-yemen-shootdowns-2016-2021","headline":"Multiple Wing Loong drones shot down in Yemen by Houthi forces (2016-2021)","description":"Wing Loong UCAVs operated by UAE and Saudi Arabia were shot down by Houthi forces in Yemen between December 2016 and May 2021, including at least 5 confirmed shootdowns with wreckage displayed. Some were downed by air-to-air missiles adapted for ground launch.","identifier":"31a42df6-ce69-41e4-9d1d-eb0bb361739f","datePublished":"2016-12-26T00:00:00.000Z","articleSection":"other","publisher":{"@id":"https://deploy.report/#organization"},"author":{"@id":"https://deploy.report/#organization"}},"framework_metadata":{"framework_schema_version":"0.1.0","verification_status":"verified","maturity_stage":null,"lifecycle_state":null,"architectural_position":{"cohort":null,"sub_cohorts":[]},"within_cohort_verified_vs_claimed_pair":null,"cap_flags":[],"verification_depth":{"sources_count":1,"primary_source_types":["knowledge-base"]}}}