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

By: Maksim Panasovskiy | 21.09.2022, 11:31

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