The Congolese government has acquired nine Chinese-made CH-4 attack drones to combat the M23 rebels in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), as reported by UASVision and originally published by Lionel Ukele in Military Africa. The CH-4 drones are medium-altitude, long-endurance unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) capable of carrying various weapons. This purchase represents a significant advancement for the Congolese military in their fight against the insurgency.
The decision to procure Chinese drones is driven by their affordability and less stringent purchase conditions compared to other options. The CH-4 drones will be stationed at the strategically located South Kavumu military airport, within range of the conflict zone. The initial shipment of three drones has already been delivered, with the remaining six expected to arrive later this year. It is likely that the DRC government has obtained the CH-4B variant, which is a mixed attack and reconnaissance system.