Chad Expands Its Fleet with Chinese CH-4 UAVs

Chinese Caihong-4 (CH-4) armed reconnaissance unmanned aerial vehicles have been spotted at Abéché Air Base in Chad.

This is shown in a video posted by Mahamat M. Adam Béchir on X, as reported by Unmanned Africa.

The released footage shows at least four CH-4 UAVs deployed at the airfield along with ground support equipment. Chad’s authorities have not officially announced acquiring these systems.

China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) developed the CH-4 in the 2010s as a lower-cost alternative to the U.S. MQ-1 Predator. The medium-altitude, long-endurance drone made its first flight in 2011 and has since been actively exported to countries in Asia and Africa.

Chadian Airforce 🇹🇩 #Tchad pic.twitter.com/S6xLEKFkKF

— Mahamat M Adam Bechir (@BlazianP) August 22, 2026

The UAV has an 18-meter wingspan and a maximum takeoff weight of around 1,330 kg. The aircraft can remain airborne for up to 40 hours in its reconnaissance configuration and around 14 hours with a full combat payload.

A payload of up to 345 kg is carried under the wings and includes AR-1/AR-2 air-to-ground guided missiles and FT-9 guided bombs. This allows the UAV to engage ground targets from altitudes above 5,000 meters while remaining outside the range of portable surface-to-air missile systems.

The deployment of CH-4 drones in Abéché will allow Chad to monitor its eastern border with Sudan’s Darfur region and track militant movements in the country’s northern areas. Chad also currently operates Turkish Bayraktar TB2, Aksungur, and Anka UAVs.