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CASC Rainbow (Chinese: 彩虹; pinyin: cǎihóng, abbreviation CH) is a series of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) marketed by China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC). The series includes multi-role medium-altitude long-endurance UAVs and micro air vehicles (MAV). The UAVs are produced by CASC's China Academy of Aerospace Aerodynamics (CAAA).

Series

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CH-1

The CH-1 is a small fixed-wing reconnaissance UAV. Development started in 2000.

CH-2

The CH-2 is a small fixed-wing reconnaissance UAV.

CH-3

The CH-3 is a fixed-wing unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV). It first flew in 2007. The CH-3 has a 70 kg payload, and can carry the AR-1 air-to-ground missile and FT-9 guided bomb.

The Pakistani NESCOM Burraq may be based on the CH-3; the Burraq is armed with the Burq missile, which may be based on the AR-1.

CH-4

Externally, the CH-4 looks almost identical to the General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper, with the only distinct visual difference between the two UAVs being the ventral fin below the V-tail on MQ-9 which is absent on the CH-4. There are two versions, the CH-4A and CH-4B. The CH-4A is a reconnaissance drone (capable of a 3500–5000 km range and a 30- to 40-hour endurance life) while the CH-4B is a mixed attack and reconnaissance system with provisions for 6 weapons and a payload of up to 250 to 345 kg.

CH-4 is capable of firing air-to-ground missiles from an altitude of 5,000 meters (~16,400 feet), meaning the aircraft is capable of staying outside the effective range of most anti-aircraft guns. It also allows the CH-4 to be able to fire from a position that provides a wider area of view.

A CASC factory in Myanmar produces the CH-4.

Saqr-1 is thought to be mostly influenced by the CH-4.

Specifications:

• Length: 8.5 m (28 ft)
• Wing Span: 18 m (59 ft)
• Max Take Off Weight: 1,300 kg (2,900 lb)
• Payload: 345 kg (761 lb)
• Endurance: 40 hours
• Powerplant: 1 x 100 Hp engine
• Maximum Speed: 235 knots (435 km/h)
• Cruise Speed: 180 knots (330 km/h)
• Communications range: >1,000 km (620 mi) with SatCom (1,500-2,000 km for CH-4B), ~150 km (93 mi) from Ground Control Station (GCS)
• Armaments: AR-1 missile, AR-2 missile (20 kg, 5 kg armour-piercing warhead, inertial guidance system with terminal semi-active laser (SAL) seeker, maximum range 8 km), AKD-10 air-to-surface anti-tank missile, BRMI-90 90mm guided rocket, FT-7/130 130 kg glide bombs, FT-9/50 50 kg bomb, FT-10/25 25 kg bomb, GB-7/50 50 kg precision-guided munition (PGM), GB-4/100 PGM.

CH-5

The CH-5 is a large UAV with a wingspan of 21 metres, a payload of 1,000 kg, a maximum takeoff weight of over 3 tonnes, a service ceiling of 9 km, an endurance life of up to 60 hours, and a range of 10,000 km. Thanks to a shared data link system, it can cooperate with CH-3 and CH-4 drones. It conducted its maiden flight in August 2015 at its first airshow flight (in northern Hebei province) in July 2017. The drone can carry a maximum of 16 missiles at a single time. There were also plans to extend its range up to 20,000 km. Chinese officials claimed the CH-5 Rainbow was similar in performance to the US MQ-9 Reaper and "may come in at less than half the price". Compared to the Garrett TPE331 turboprop engine mounted on the Reaper, the CH-5 is equipped with an unidentified turbo-charged piston engine with less than half the horsepower. This design consideration limits the maximum altitude of the CH-5 to 9 km compared to the 12–15 km of the Reaper, but it also extends CH-5's endurance life to 60 hours compared to the Reaper's 14 hours.

A more recent engine variant, with a 300kW piston engine from Anhui Hangrui Co., will increase the service ceiling to 12 km and the endurance life to 120 hours.

Armaments: AR-1 missile, AR-2 missile (20 kg, 5 kg armour-piercing warhead, inertial guidance system with terminal semi-active laser (SAL) seeker, maximum range 8 km)

CH-6

The CH-6 is a large UAV with a MTOW of 7800 kg with two variants: a strike variant with an 18-hour endurance life and a 450 kg payload; a reconnaissance variant with a 21-hour endurance life and a 120 kg payload. It was in development in 2021.

CH-7

The CH-7 is a stealth, flying wing UCAV similar to the X-47B, with a 22m wingspan and a 10m length. It can fly at 920 km/h and an altitude of 13,000m. The endurance life is around 15 hours with an operational radius of 2000 km. It can carry antiradiation missiles and standoff weapons. According to its chief designer, "the CH-7 can intercept radar electronic signals, and simultaneously detect, verify and monitor high-value targets, such as hostile command stations, missile launch sites, and naval vessels". It was planned to make its maiden flight in 2019 and commence production from 2022. A live airframe was spotted in 2024.

CH-9

ISR & strike UAV with 11500 km range.

CH-10

The CH-10 is a tiltrotor UAV.

CH-91

The CH-91 is a fixed-wing UAV with a twin-boom layout and an inverted v-tail with a pair of skids acting as the landing gear. Propulsion is provided by a two-blade propeller driven by a pusher engine mounted at the rear end of the fuselage. The CH-91 is mainly intended for reconnaissance and surveillance missions. It is also known as the BZK-008.

CH-92

CH-92 is a fixed-wing UAV in the conventional V-tail layout with a tricycle landing gear. Propulsion is provided by a propeller driven by a pusher engine mounted at the empennage. The CH-92 is mainly intended for reconnaissance, surveillance, and attack missions.

CH-802

The CH-802 is a fixed-wing micro air vehicle (MAV) in the conventional layout with an elevated high-wing configuration and V-tail. The CH-802 has a cylindrical fuselage with propulsion being provided by a two-blade propeller driven by a tractor brushless electric motor atop the fuselage. The CH-803 is mainly intended for reconnaissance and surveillance missions. The CH-802 program began in 2007 and was completed in 2008.

Specifications:

• Wingspan (m): 3
• Length (m): 1.8
• Weight (kg): 6.5
• Payload (kg): 1
• Radius (km): 30
• Normal operating altitude (km): 0.3 – 1
• Normal radius (km): 30 – 50
• Cruise speed (km/h): 60
• Endurance (h): 2.5
• Ceiling (km): 4
• Launch: by hand

CH-803

The CH-803 is a fixed-wing UAV with a cylindrical fuselage and canards, but without the tailplane. Propulsion is provided by a two-blade propeller driven by a tractor engine mounted in the nose. Another unique feature of the CH-803 is that it adopts a forward-swept wing. The CH-803 is mainly intended for reconnaissance and surveillance missions. The CH-803 program began in 2008 and was completed in 2011.

Specifications:

• Wingspan (m): 3
• Length (m): 1.8
• Weight (kg): 18
• Payload (kg): 3.5
• Radius (km): 30
• Normal operating altitude (km): 0.5 – 1.5
• Normal radius (km): 50 – 80
• Cruise speed (km/h): 80 – 110
• Endurance (h): 5
• Ceiling (km): 3.5
• Launch: catapult
• Recovery: parachute

CH-817

VTOL micro-surveillance and attack UAV with a top speed of 64.8 km/h and an endurance of 15 minutes.

CH-901

The CH-901 is a fixed-wing UAV in the conventional layout with a cylindrical fuselage and a high-wing configuration. Propulsion is provided by a two-blade propeller driven by a pusher engine mounted at the end of empennage. The CH-901 is designed as a UCAV.

CH-902

Fixed-wing cylindrical UAV.

Operational history

Iraq used CH-4s against the Islamic State during the 2013-2017 war.

Nigeria used CH-3s against the Boko Haram insurgency in 2015.

The Tatmadaw in Myanmar reportedly used CH-3s for counterinsurgency in 2015 and 2016 during the Myanmar civil war.

The Saudi-led coalition deployed CH-4s against the Houthi movement during the Yemeni civil war; the aircraft were from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Over twelve Saudi Arabian CH-4s were lost by July 2022.

Comparison

Operators

Current

 Algeria

• Algerian Air Force: CH-3 and CH-4

 China

• People's Liberation Army Ground Force: 5+ CH-4B (as of 2023); KVD002, a reconnaissance and precision strike drone based on the CH-4.

 Democratic Republic of Congo

• Congolese Air Force: 3 CH-4B (as of 2023); nine were ordered.

 Ethiopia

• Ethiopian National Defense Force: CH-4

 Indonesia

• Indonesian Armed Forces: six CH-4Bs

 Iraq

• Iraqi Armed Forces: 12 CH-4 (as of 2023) Deliveries started by 2015. Put into storage in 2017. In 2019, one was "fully mission capable" and the rest were grounded due to maintenance problems. The CH-5 was on order in 2024.

 Myanmar

• Myanmar Air Force: Four CH-3 (as of 2023.) According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, 12 CH-3As were procured in 2014 to 2015.

 Nigeria

• Nigerian Air Force: 1+ CH-3 (as of 2023.) One crashed in January 2015. The UAVs were operated infrequently due to poor quality. In 2020, another eight in delivery.

 Pakistan

• Pakistan Armed Forces: 5 CH-4 (as of 2023.) Received five CH-4s in 2021.

 Saudi Arabia

• Royal Saudi Air Force: CH-4 (as of 2023.)

 Serbia

• Serbian Air Force and Air Defence: 6 CH-92A and 3 CH-95

 Sudan

• Sudanese Air Force: CH-3 and CH-4

 Turkmenistan

• Turkmen Air Force: CH-3A

 United Arab Emirates

• United Arab Emirates Armed Forces: CH-4

 Zambia

• Zambian Defence Force: CH-4

Former

 Jordan

• Royal Jordanian Air Force: CH-4B (as of 2023.)

See also

• CAIG Wing Loong
• CAIG Wing Loong II
• CAIG Wing Loong-10
• Harbin BZK-005
• Tengden TB-001
• CASIC WJ

Related lists

• List of Chinese aircraft
• List of unmanned aerial vehicles of the People's Republic of China

References

Citations

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• Unmanned military aircraft of China
• Unmanned stealth aircraft