China Sends Military CH-4 MALE UAVs to DRC to Combat M23 Rebels
Summary
The DRC's procurement of these drones aligns with a broader trend in Africa, where countries are increasingly turning to Chinese military drones to enhance their defense capabilities. The move has sparked concerns about a potential regional conflict between Rwanda and the DRC, as tensions have been mounting in recent months.
China has become the world's top seller of weaponized unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) over the past decade, delivering 282 combat drones to 17 countries, while the United States has only shipped 12 combat drones abroad in the same time span. Countries are turning to China due to export controls imposed by the United States and the affordability and flexibility of Chinese drones.
The DRC has tried to strike a balance between the United States and China, but the intensifying conflict with Rwanda-backed rebel groups might push the country back into China's arms. China maintains significant influence over the DRC's mining industry, controlling nearly 70 percent of the country's mining portfolio, giving Beijing a vested interest in the resource-rich nation.
China delivers three more CH-4 drones to support Democratic Republic o
China delivers three more CH-4 drones to support Democratic Republic of Congo to fight M23 rebels.
According to Military Africa
on May 20, 2024, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) received three
additional CH-4 Rainbow drones from China. These medium-altitude,
long-endurance (MALE) drones will be deployed to the eastern region of
the country to support military operations against the M23 rebels and
the Rwanda Defence Force. This delivery follows an initial batch, with
three more drones expected to arrive in the coming months, totaling
nine.
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Noted for its affordability and less stringent acquisition conditions, the CH-4 drone was unveiled in 2011 and is designed for various missions including reconnaissance, surveillance, target acquisition, and strike operations. (Picture source: Chinese social media)
The CH-4, also known as the Cai Hong-4, is an unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV) developed by the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC). Noted for its affordability and less stringent acquisition conditions, this drone was unveiled in 2011 and is designed for various missions including reconnaissance, surveillance, target acquisition, and strike operations. The CH-4 is available in two main variants: the CH-4A, primarily for reconnaissance, and the CH-4B, which is armed for combat missions.
The drone features a piston engine driving a three-bladed propeller, providing a top speed of 235 km/h and a maximum endurance of up to 40 hours. It can carry a payload of up to 345 kilograms, including munitions such as the AR-1 air-to-ground missile and FT-9 guided bombs. The CH-4 has been used by several countries for military operations, especially against non-state actors in conflict zones.
Last year, the Congolese government revealed its plan to procure nine CH-4 attack drones, marking a significant step in its campaign against the M23 rebels. The first batch of three drones was delivered earlier, with the remaining six expected later this year. The drones will be stationed at the South Kavumu military airport, strategically located near conflict zones. In June of the previous year, a video surfaced showing three CH-4 drones and a ground control station at N'Dolo airport in Kinshasa. The footage featured one drone taxiing on the runway in front of a hangar where two other drones were parked, demonstrating their operational readiness.
The CH-4 drones, noted for their affordability and less stringent acquisition conditions, have become a viable option for nations seeking to enhance their defense capabilities, aligning with a broader trend in Africa. Countries such as Nigeria, Morocco, Egypt, Algeria, and Ethiopia have also acquired Chinese military drones, reflecting China's goal of becoming a prominent player in the global UAV market. These acquisitions include the Cai Hong (Rainbow) family of drones, developed by CASC, which comprises various models like the CH-1, CH-2, CH-3, and the larger CH-5, each tailored for different mission profiles from basic reconnaissance to advanced combat roles.
The CH-4 can carry a payload of up to 345 kilograms, including munitions such as the AR-2 air-to-ground missile and FT-9 guided bombs. (Picture source: Army Recognition)
The Cai Hong series of Chinese drones has gained international attention for its practicality and ease of procurement, attracting countries in the Middle East, Africa, and Asia. These drones are equipped with advanced avionics, synthetic aperture radars, and electro-optical targeting systems, making them suitable for a broad range of military applications. Continuous upgrades have been made to enhance their performance and capabilities, corresponding to the broader strategy announced last year by the DRC to strengthen the Congolese army's efforts against the ongoing insurgency in the east.
The eastern region of the DRC, where the drones will be deployed, is troubled by violence from numerous ethnic militias and armed groups competing for control near the borders with Uganda and Rwanda. According to the United Nations, at least 120 armed groups operate in this area, complicating efforts to achieve peace and stability.
Since February 2024, intensified clashes between the Congolese military and the M23 rebels have led to significant territorial gains by the rebels, and over 7.1 million people are now displaced across the country, with makeshift camps around Goma overwhelmed by the influx.
The campaign against the M23 rebels in the DRC has seen intensified military efforts in recent months, involving both the Congolese armed forces and UN peacekeepers. This escalation aims to counter the M23's territorial advances in the eastern regions, notably around Goma and South Kivu. The conflict has resulted in significant displacement, with over 200,000 people forced to flee their homes, exacerbating an already severe humanitarian crisis. Accusations have been exchanged between the DRC and Rwanda, with Kinshasa alleging Rwandan support for the M23 and various armed groups, a claim that Kigali denies.
The withdrawal of the UN peacekeeping mission, MONUSCO, and the deployment of regional forces have not stabilized the situation, with continued violence symbolized by the M23, or March 23 Movement, a rebel group that initially formed in 2012 from defectors of the Congolese army, primarily consisting of ethnic Tutsis. The group's name references a peace agreement signed on March 23, 2009, which they argue the DRC government has failed to uphold. The M23 briefly captured Goma in 2012 before being driven out by Congolese and UN forces. After a period of inactivity, the group re-emerged in late 2021, citing similar grievances. The resurgence has led to renewed violence and instability in the eastern DRC, involving regional actors and complicating efforts to achieve lasting peace.
The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is set to receive attack drones from China, a move that has sparked concerns about a potential regional conflict between Rwanda and the DRC.
According to Africa Intelligence, a Paris-based news site, China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation will soon supply the total of nine Caihong 4 (CH-4) attack drones to help Kinshasa fight the Rwanda-backed rebels on the territory of DRC.
Experts have concerns about the arms transaction with the DRC, fearing that weapons could end up in the wrong hands and exacerbate the conflict.
In recent months, tensions between the DRC and Rwanda have been mounting, with Rwanda shooting a DRC fighter jet in late January over an alleged violation of Rwandan airspace. Attempts by the United Nations, United States, and other African states to normalize the situation have been unsuccessful.
The Great Lakes region of Africa has been strongly affected by insecurities that date back to the Rwanda genocide of 1994, when hundreds of thousands of people lost their lives in massacres. Today, as a result of a resurgence of violence generated by armed groups, 5.8 million people are displaced across the DRC.
“The West is reluctant to engage in arms sales with the DRC due to the country’s history, but China may do so in a clandestine way, using the conflict as a proxy to provoke and test the reaction of the West while also securing a foothold on the continent,” said Ibrahim Magara, a peace researcher and lecturer at the Loughborough University.
Ben Hunter, Africa analyst at risk intelligence company Verisk Maplecroft, said that only a war of aggression in which the DRC uses Chinese drones against Rwandan civilians would incur notable criticism of China. “China has not received significant [backlash] for its use of drones in [other] African conflicts, largely due to its diplomatic influence in Africa,” Hunter pointed out.
“Moreover, the attention from Washington has [also] been limited because of the relatively minor implications of these drones for the U.S.-China relationship,” he added.
The growing interest in China’s military drones is not limited to the DRC. Nigeria was one of the first African states to buy Chinese CH-3 drones for use in counterinsurgency operations.
In Ethiopia’s recently ended civil war, China’s Win Loong drones were effective in quelling the rebellion in the country’s north – yet the Ethiopian armed forces were accused of committing war crimes during the conflict..
According to Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), China has delivered 282 combat drones to 17 countries over the last decade, making it the world’s top seller of weaponized unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). In comparison, the United States, which has the most advanced UAVs in the world, has only shipped 12 combat drones abroad in the same time span, all of which have gone to France and the United Kingdom.
“The Chinese drones are substantially cheaper than the U.S. drones in the same category, and likely come with less questions asked,” said Wim Zwijnenburg, a Humanitarian Disarmament Project Leader for PAX, a Dutch peace organization.
China also provides purchasers with flexible payment options.
“There seem to be an improvement with the Chengdu Aircraft Industry Group (CAIG) Wing Loong I and II. These drones have now been imported and used by a number of African countries, including Nigeria, Morocco, Egypt and Ethiopia,” Zwijnenburg continued. “The WL-2 has a larger payload and longer range and is deemed to be more reliable than the CH drones. We now seen the active use of WL in a number of African states in either civil wars or counterterrorism operations, e.g. in Western Sahara and Ethiopia.”
But most importantly, analysts say countries are turning to China because of export controls imposed by the United States. The Missile Technology Control Regime, an agreement created in 1987 to prohibit the spread of platforms capable of delivering chemical, biological, and nuclear weapons, limits Washington in selling its combat drones.
China’s domination of the worldwide market for combat drones is partially thanks to a major state-funded program that strives to upgrade the country’s armed forces. Its bestselling drone, the Caihong 4, is often compared to to the U.S.-made MQ-9 Reaper, while the popular Wing Loong 2 is believed to be similar to the U.S.-built MQ-1 Predator.
However, “assessing the effective use of these drones is difficult, as African users have not disclosed reliable information or statistics on the drone use in general,” Zwijnenburg said.
Going beyond drones, SIPRI reported that in the last decade Chinese arms sales in sub-Saharan Africa were only second to Russia, and almost three times the amount exported to the region by the United States.
Against this background, the DRC has tried to strike a balance between the United States and China, yet the intensifying conflict with the Rwanda-backed rebel groups might be thrusting it back into the arms of China.
China maintains significant sway over the DRC mining industry, controlling nearly 70 percent of the country’s mining portfolio. This gives Beijing a vested interest in the DRC, a major exporter of cobalt and copper to China.
The current leadership of the DRC has been actively renegotiating Chinese mineral contracts, showing that the government is committed to reducing Beijing’s influence, which is the legacy of former president Joseph Kabila.
Since taking office in 2019, President Felix Tshisekedi has sought to balance the DRC’s relationship with China and the United States. In December 2022, the DRC signed a memorandum of understanding with the U.S. on the development of the electric vehicle battery industry.
Importantly, a DRC court recently barred China Molybdenum from operating the Tenke Fungurume mine, the world’s largest cobalt and copper mine, due to allegations that the company failed to declare thousands of tons of deposits and stripped the government of royalties.
In addition, last year, the DRC government requested an additional $17 billion investment from China as part of a 2008 infrastructure-for-minerals deal. Tshisekedi claimed that Congo has not benefited much from the Sicomines agreement, which was made as a part of a cobalt and copper joint venture with Chinese state-owned firms.
Yet, the country’s long-standing security problems continue to haunt its people, derailing the reforms. In the face of prolonged armed conflict and approaching elections, the DRC leadership might be forced to revive its warm ties with China.
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