Iraq launches its new Ch-4B drone

 

New Iraqi CH-4B Drones now in Operation from Kut Airbase







CH-4B Drones specs;
 
    Maximum takeoff weight 1,330-1,350kg
    Fuel capacity 165kg
    Payload 345kg
    Speed (cruising) 150-180km/h; (maximum) 210-235km/h;
    Range 200-250km Endurance 30 hours (unarmed) 14 hours (armed)
    Service ceiling 7,500m

Armament CH-4 : Four external hard points (under the wings); Lan Jian 7 (Blue Arrow 7) laser-guided air-to-surface missiles; LT series precision guided bombs; TG100 laser/INS/GPS-guided bomb.


Why CH-4B Drone Is Scary

1. A manned fighter is large.
An unmanned drone is much smaller and harder to detect with the naked eye.

2. Manned fighters are turbofan powered. This is necessary to avoid ground-based fire and MANPADS.
An unmanned CH-4B drone is propeller-powered. The loiter time of a CH-4B is dramatically longer than a manned fighter.

3. Without a manned pilot, an unmanned CH-4B won't get tired. It's easy to swap out unmanned pilots at the drone-control station.

4. Without a manned pilot, an unmanned drone is more likely to be deployed in dangerous battlefield situations. No one really cares if a drone is shot down. Just go buy another one.
They are only about $1 million each.

5. The CH-4B drone control station has high-resolution wide screens.
The American Predator has smaller square screens with a more constrained view.