Iraq tests Chinese strike drone at Ain Al-Asad after Coalition exit
Shafaq News- Baghdad
The Iraqi Army conducted a live missile launch using a Chinese-made CH5 armed drone at Ain Al-Asad airbase, weeks after the facility came under full Iraqi control following the withdrawal of the US-led Coalition.
The Defense Ministry said Army Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Abdul Amir Rashid Yarallah oversaw the test at the base in Al-Anbar, where the multi-role unmanned aerial vehicle fired rockets at designated targets in the Al-Tash area, achieving “high precision.”
In January, Iraqi forces finalized the transfer of former Coalition installations, including Ain Al-Asad, under a broader security transition that places key bases entirely under national administration.
The CH-5 is a Chinese medium-altitude, long-endurance armed drone reportedly acquired by Iraq to expand its unmanned aerial fleet. According to DefenseMirror, the platform is comparable to the US-made MQ-9 Reaper, with a range exceeding 10,000 kilometers, an endurance of up to 60 hours, and a payload capacity of around three tons, allowing it to carry as many as 16 missiles.
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