News - Yemen:   The Yemeni Air Defense of the Army and Popular Committees has shot down a Chinese-made combat drone run by the US-Saudi aggression in Shabwa Governorate, while it was carrying out hostile actions.

 "Our air defenses managed to shoot down a Chinese-made combat spy plane CH-4 operated by the Saudi Air Force, while it was carrying out hostile acts in the airspace of the Asilan District in Shabwa Governorate," the Armed Forces spokesman Brigadier General Yahya Sare’e said on Monday evening on his Twitter account.

The Armed Forces spokesman indicated that the operation of shooting down the drone was carried out with a locally-made surface-to-air missile.

The Chinese-made CH-4 drone has a 3,500- to 5,000-kilometer range and a 30- to 40-hour endurance. It is also capable of carrying six missiles and a payload of up to 250 to 345 kilogram.

The unmanned aerial vehicle can fire air-to-ground missiles from an altitude of 5,000 meters, therefore it can stay outside of the effective range of most anti-aircraft guns.

Last Friday, Yemen’s Air Defense shot down a US-made ScanEagle spy drone while it was carrying out hostile acts over Sirwah District in Marib Governorate.

On December 9, Yemeni Armed Forces shot down a CH-4 combat drone run by the US-Saudi aggression, while it was carrying out hostile actions over Marib Governorate, the spokesman for the Armed Forces Brigadier General Yahya Sare’e wrote on his Twitter account. Earlier in the same day, the spokesman announced the downing of a US-made ScanEagle spy drone, which was "carrying out hostile acts" over the same province.
 
On the 4th of December, the Air Defense shot down another ScanEagle spy drone over Marib.
 
On November 13, the Yemeni Air Defenses of Army and Popular Committees intercepted and shot down a US-made combat drone run by the US-Saudi aggression in Marib governorate, while it was carrying out hostile actions.
 
On November 9, Yemeni Air Defense of the Army and Popular Committees intercepted and shut down a US-made combat drone run by the US-Saudi aggression in Marib governorate.
 
On September 27, the Air Defense shot down a US-made ScanEagle drone operated by the US-Saudi aggression over Daghal district of Marib governorate.
 
On August 14, it also shot down a hostile combat drone of the same type with a surface-to-air missile while it was carrying out hostile acts over Madghal district of Marib governorate.
 
Two US-made spy drones of the same type were shot down, on June 20 and 22, while carrying out hostile acts over Sirwah district of Marib governorate.

Enjoying complete arms, logistical, and political support on the part of the US, Saudi Arabia and a number of its allies started a war against Yemen in March 2015 to restore power to Yemen's former Washington and Riyadh-aligned officials.

The war has stopped way short of the goal, while killing tens of thousands of Yemenis in the process and pushing the entire Yemen close to the brink of outright famine.

The Yemeni Armed Forces have vowed, though, not to lay down their arms until Yemen's complete liberation from the US-Saudi aggression.

Saudi Arabia is keen to bring in combat drones from multiple countries to gain qualitative air superiority, most notably US, China and Turkey.
 
With the ability of the Yemeni air defense to shoot down these drones despite their development, it limits the air superiority of the coalition of aggression, thus weakening the card it is betting on in the battlefield.
 
In the outcome of the air defense's achievements, the coalition of aggression lost dozens of its various aircraft, warplanes and drones.