The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has taken delivery of three additional CH-4 Rainbow medium altitude and long endurance (MALE) drone from China.
The drones will be transfered at once to the theatre of operations against the M23 and the Rwanda Defence Force in the east of the country. Three more are expected in the coming months.
The affordability of Chinese drones, combined with the less stringent conditions attached to their purchase, makes them an attractive option for countries seeking to bolster their defense capabilities.
Last year, the Congolese government announced that is taking decisive action in its fight against the M23 rebels by acquiring nine Chinese CH-4 attack drones. This move marks a significant step towards enhancing the capabilities of the Congolese military in tackling the ongoing insurgency.
The CH-4 combat drone is a medium-altitude, long-endurance unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) that has the capacity to carry various weapons, including air-to-surface missiles and bombs. The first shipment of three drones has already been delivered, while the remaining six are expected to arrive later this year. These drones will be stationed at the South Kavumu military airport, strategically located within range of the conflict zone.
In June last year, three CH-4s and a ground control station were seen at N’Dolo Airport in Kinshasha in a video, with one spotted taxiing past a hangar where another two were parked.
The DRC’s army is fighting in the restive east where ethnic militias and other armed groups are battling for control near the borders with Uganda and Rwanda. According the United Nations, there are at least 120 armed groups in the DRC’s restive east.
The acquisition of Chinese-made CH-4 drones by the Congolese government is not an isolated event. Several African countries, such as Nigeria, Morocco, Egypt, Algeria, and Ethiopia, have also chosen to import and utilize Chinese military drones to strengthen their defense capabilities.