CH-5 Rainbow
Country: 
ChinaManufacturer: China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC)
The CH-5 Rainbow is the most powerful MALE UCAV of the Cai Hong family: 60 hours endurance, 1 ton payload, up to 16 guided munitions. Direct equivalent to the Reaper, it is the backbone of high-end Chinese UCAV exports.
The CH-5 Rainbow is the most powerful MALE UCAV of the Cai Hong family: 60 hours endurance, 1 ton payload, up to 16 guided munitions. Direct equivalent to the Reaper, it is the backbone of high-end Chinese UCAV exports.
Community
Data trust
- Reliability
- Unverified
- Sources
- Sources pending review
Identity
- Designation
- CH-5 Rainbow
- Alias
- Cai Hong-5
- Manufacturer
- China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC)
- Country
- China
- Year
- 2018
- Category
- UCAV (Combat UAV)
- Class
- MALE (Medium-altitude / long-endurance)
- Status
- In service
Performance
- Range
- 6500 km
- Endurance
- 60 h
- Top speed
- 300 km/h
- Service ceiling
- 9,000 m
- Propulsion
- Turboelica heavy fuel, ~330 kW
Physical characteristics
- MTOW
- 3300 kg
- Payload
- 1000 kg
- Hardpoints
- 6
- Weapons
- Fino a 16 missili AR-1/AR-2, FT-9, AKD-20, bombe LS-6
Onboard systems
- Sensors
- EO/IR, SAR/GMTI, SIGINT, ELINT, designatore laser
- Datalink / control
- SATCOM Ku-band + LOS, multi-UAV control
- Launch
- Decollo da pista
- Recovery
- Atterraggio su pista
Tags
Main operators
History
First flight in August 2015 in Gansu, presented at Airshow China 2016 and in service since 2018. Capable of operating in coordinated swarms thanks to a single ground station controlling up to 5 drones.
Bought by Algeria in 2020 and by Egypt and Pakistan. The PLA uses it for long-range surveillance in the South China Sea and Indian border patrol missions.