China-made military CH-95 drone shot down! On July 14, foreign media reported that the Sudanese military's Bayraktar AKINCI drone used an air-to-air missile to shoot down a China-made CH-95 drone supplied by the UAE to the RSF "terrorist organization." Of course, we cannot confirm whether this report is true. According to available information, the CH-95 drone is a reconnaissance and strike integrated UAV that was first publicly unveiled at the 2021 Zhuhai Airshow.

The drone has a length of 9 meters, a wingspan of 14 meters, a height of 2.77 meters, a maximum takeoff weight of 1,100 kg, and a maximum external payload of 260 kg. Its cruising speed is 200 km/h, with a maximum speed of 280 km/h; its service ceiling ranges from 5,000 to 7,000 meters, with a maximum range of 4,000 km, capable of sustained flight for 6 to 12 hours. It can carry high-definition electro-optical pods and infrared thermal imaging systems, enabling target detection up to 100 kilometers away. It is capable of continuous surveillance, positioning, and firepower damage assessment of ground and sea surface targets around the clock.

Indeed, the UAE has previously purchased large quantities of this type of drone. In fact, since the full-scale civil war erupted in Sudan on April 15, 2023, the two opposing sides have been the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). Both major military factions are vying for control over the country’s highest power, gold mines, and Red Sea port economic interests. The Sudanese government forces are backed by Turkey, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia, with Turkey supplying large numbers of Bayraktar AKINCI heavy reconnaissance-strike drones. Meanwhile, the RSF’s main financial backer is the UAE.

Previously, through third-party intermediary channels, the UAE procured Chinese CH-95 reconnaissance-strike drones and FK2000 integrated anti-aircraft missile-gun systems in bulk, then transferred them to the RSF for use against government forces. To some extent, Sudan’s airspace has now become a drone weapons testing ground for major powers beyond the Middle East. If this report proves accurate, it would mark the world’s first instance of a drone carrying dedicated air-to-air missiles intercepting and destroying another long-endurance reconnaissance-strike drone in mid-air.

Original source: toutiao.com/article/1870656982927497/

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