The Chinese equivalent of the MQ-9 Reaper was spotted for the first time near Taiwan - the Rainbow CH-4 drone entered the air defense identification zone

On September 17, two aircraft of the People's Liberation Army of China entered the air defense identification zone. One of them turned out to be a CH-4 drone.

Here's What We Know

The Rainbow CH-4 is a Chinese reconnaissance-level unmanned aerial vehicle. It was developed by the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) and is considered the counterpart to General Atomics' American MQ-9 Reaper drone.

The CH-4 can conduct surveillance and reconnaissance missions for 30-40 hours. It has a range of nearly 5,000 km. The drone is capable of 435 km/h and has a cruising speed of 330 km/h.

The maximum payload weight is 345 kg. The Rainbow CH-4 is available in a variant supporting air-to-ground missiles. It can deliver strikes from 5 km altitude, remaining an elusive target for enemy air defenses.

Source: Focus Taiwan