According to open-source export-import records, the Chinese defence contractor Aerospace Long-March International (ALIT) delivered five CH-4 unmanned aerial vehicles to the Pakistan Army.
The shipment was recorded on 15 January 2021. It is not yet clear if this order is an initial batch ahead of a larger acquisition, or a small-scale purchase for testing or limited utilization.
Pakistan joins Iraq, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates (UAE), Myanmar, and Jordan as an operator of the CH-4. It is unclear if Pakistan ordered the CH-4A or CH-4B. If the CH-4B, the Pakistan Army will gain another armed drone (in addition to its Burraq-series) for unmanned combat operations.
The CH-4 reportedly has a maximum take-off weight (MTOW) of 1,300 kg. According to ALIT, the CH-4 can carry up to four munitions (weighing 50 kg each) plus an electro-optical and infrared (EO/IR) turret. It has a reported endurance of 40 hours and a cruising speed of 180 knots.
Pakistan was initially linked to a possible CH-4 drone purchase in 2016 when Shi Wen, the lead designer of drones at China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) at the time, said the company was talking to a South Asian customer. In June 2016, a Wing Loong had crashed in Mianwali, Pakistan from an “experimental flight,” indicating that Pakistan was evaluating Chinese UAVs.
There was a report that Pakistan was ordering 48 Wing Loong-II UAVs from China with a local production agreement involving PAC. However, Quwa was not able to verify the authenticity of the news as it did not connect to any official channel or reliable insider source. In fact, the news did not align with how the PAF was planning its future UAV procurement at the time, which was (and still is) an indigenous effort.
In 2017, the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) announced an in-house medium-altitude long-endurance (MALE) UAV program under its Project AZM initiative. The PAF tasked the newly established Aviation Research, Indigenization and Development (AvRID) bureau under Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC) to lead the indigenous MALE UAV program. It is unclear if the prototype underwent its maiden test flight, which was scheduled for 2019. In January 2021, observers spotted a prototype MALE UAV at PAC. The design seems to mirror the same general design concept of the Anka, Wing Loong, and CH-4 (i.e., the Predator). It likely uses a piston engine, though there is a chance that its MTOW may be less than the aforementioned UAVs.
Despite the presence of an in-house MALE UAV program, it appears that both the Pakistan Army and the Pakistan Navy proceeded with imported aircraft. In fact, in 2018, the Pakistan Navy inquired with Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) about the latter’s Anka-S. In 2020, the Pakistan Navy revealed that it signed a contract for a “long-range, high-endurance” UAV. However, a local source said that the Navy ordered the CH-4 from China. Currently, the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) seems to be focused on Project AZM.
There was an opportunity to consolidate the MALE UAV programs of each service arm. However, the Army and Navy opted to go ahead with the CH-4. This outcome was likely due to siloed planning and decision-making between the three service arms. It will be worth observing if the Army and Navy proceed with a follow-on order for CH-4s (or some other UAV type). If they limit their respective orders to small batches, the Army and Navy could be looking forward to inducting the PAC MALE UAV when it is available.
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