China CH-4B drone copies the MQ-9 Reaper drone but with weaker engines

Video of China’s CH-4b drone shows it is a copy of the American MQ-9 Reaper drone.

Like the Reaper, the CH-4B has a nose-mounted sensor turret incorporating both daytime and infra-red cameras. The cameras are capable of zooming on target and appear stabilized. The sensor turret also apparently has a laser rangefinder and designator.

The Chinese drone also has six external hard points for carrying up to 770 pounds of munitions, including the Blue Arrow 7 laser-guided air-to-surface missile, TG-100 laser, inertial or GPS-guided bombs, and the HJ-10 anti-tank missile. This also mirrors the Reaper, which can carry the Hellfire anti-tank missile, Paveway laser-guided bomb, and JDAM satellite-guided bombs.

Still, the CH-4B is an inferior performer compared to the Reaper. The Reaper has seven outboard stations compared to the CH-4B’s six, and can carry five times as much ordnance. The two aircraft still have the same endurance, each capable of staying in the air for up to 14 hours. This suggests that the Chinese unmanned airplane has weaker engines than the American version, and sacrificed payload for loiter capability

SOURCE- Popular Mechanics