CASC Rainbow

The CH-1 is the first of the Rainbow (CH) series UAVs. The general designer was Mr. Shi Wen (石文), who is also the general designer of the CH-2, the successor of the CH-1, CASC PW-1, the derivative of the CH-1, and CASC PW-2, the derivative of the CH-2. The CH-1 program began in 2000, and resulted in the establishment of the UAV program, which led to other following designs. The CH-1 is intended mainly for reconnaissance and surveillance missions.[2]

Specifications:[3]

• Wingspan (m): 4.4
• Length (m): 3.75
• Height (m): 0.87
• Weight (kg): 40
• Payload (kg): 4.5
• Fuel (kg): 26
• Max speed (km/h): 170
• Cruise speed (km/h): 120 – 150
• Normal radius (km): > 100
• Normal operating altitude (km): 1 – 3
• Ceiling (km): 4.6
• Max range (km): 740 @ 1 km altitude and 124 km/h speed
• Endurance (h): 6
• Rate of climb (m/s): 4.3
• Turn radius (m): 290
• g overload: - 1.5 to 3
• Launch: rocket assisted, and catapult mounted on vehicle
• Recovery: parachute
• Max wind scale allowed for operation: 5

The CH-2 is the second of the Rainbow (CH) series UAVs and is a development of the earlier CH-1, with identical twin-boom layout. Like the CH-1, propulsion is provided by a two-blade propeller driven by a pusher engine mounted at the rear end of the fuselage. The UAV is launched via a vehicle mounted catapult with rocket assisted take-off.[4][5] The CH-2 is mainly intended for reconnaissance and surveillance missions.[2]

The CH-3 is a fixed wing unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV) of the Rainbow series. The CH-3 adopts an unusual canard layout, similar to the Jetcruzer 450 and the Rutan VariEze. This means that the CH-3 lacks a centrally located vertical tail, with large winglets and canards instead. Propulsion is provided by a three-blade propeller driven by a pusher engine mounted on the empennage. The main landing wheels of the tricycle landing gear has a fairing to reduce drag.[6]

In January, 2015, a CH-3 drone was reported to have crashed in northern Nigeria.[7] It is believed that the drone was involved in Nigeria's struggle against the Boko Haram militant group.[8] China supplied the CH-3 to Nigeria government prior to 2014, along with YC-200 guided bombs and AR-1 air-to-ground missiles.[9] In February of 2016, Nigeria announced a successful drone strike in its ongoing war against Boko Haram.[10]

China delivered 12 CH-3s to Myanmar in 2014-2015 to fight rebels.[11] NESCOM Burraq is thought to be mostly influenced by the CH-3 design.[12]

Specifications:

:[6]

• Wingspan (m): 8
• Range (km): 960
• Endurance (h): 12
• Payload (kg): 60 – 80
• Ceiling (km): 4

The CH-3A is a development of the earlier CH-3, with both sharing an identical layout. Improvements of the CH-3A over the CH-3, includes the maximum payload increasing to more than 100 kg and a satellite data link being incorporated. The CH3A is a multipurpose UAV which can also carry AR 1 laser guided rockets for an attacking role. It is also widely rumored that the Myanmar Air Force operates them, and some images have been found.

Specification:[13]

• Payload (kg): 180 maximum
• Endurance (h): 6 with maximum payload
• Ceiling (Km): 4
• Max Range (km): 960

The CH-4(D/E) at Airshow China Zhuhai 2022

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.[14][15][16] 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 of 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.[17]

Vasiliy Kashin, a Chinese specialist at Moscow's Centre for Analysis of Strategies and Technologies, said that the CH-4B UCAV has been exported to Myanmar,[18][19] Pakistan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Algeria and Iraq.[20][21] Myanmar is also producing a CH-4 UAV under license with an agreed transfer of technology.[22]

Iraq has received an unknown number of CH-4B models in early 2015, enabling numerous battlefield reversals in conflicts surrounding Mosul and Ramadi against ISIL.[23]

Saqr-1 is thought to be mostly influenced by the CH-4.[24]

Specifications:[25]

• 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 1000 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),[26] ~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),[27] 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.[28]

CH-5H at Airshow China Zhuhai 2022

The CH-5 is the latest UCAV of the Rainbow series, 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[29] 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[30] at its first airshow flight (in northern Hebei province) in July 2017.[29] 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.[31] 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.[32]

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)[27]

CH-6 at Airshow China Zhuhai 2022

The CH-6 is a large UAV with a MTOW of 7800 kg with two variants: a strike variant with 18-hour endurance life and a 450 kg payload; a reconnaissance variant with 21-hour endurance life and a 120 kg payload. It was in development in 2021.[33]

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 at an altitude of 13,000m. The endurance life is around 15 hours with an operational radius of 2000 km.[34] It can carry antiradiation missiles and standoff weapons.[35][36][37] 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.[34]

The CH-10 is a tiltrotor UAV.[38]

The CH-91 is a fixed-wing UAV in a twin-boom layout with 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.[39][40] The CH-91 is mainly intended for reconnaissance and surveillance missions.[2] It is also known as the BZK-008.

CH-92A of Serbian Air Force and Air Defence

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.[2][41]

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.[42][43] The CH-803 is mainly intended for reconnaissance and surveillance missions.[2] The CH-802 program began in 2007 and was completed in 2008.

Specifications:[44][45]

• 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

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.[44] The CH-803 is mainly intended for reconnaissance and surveillance missions.[2] The CH-803 program began in 2008 and was completed in 2011.

Specifications:[45]

• 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

VTOL micro-surveillance and attack UAV with a top speed of 64.8 km/h and an endurance of 15 minutes.[46]

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.[47] The CH-901 is designed as an UCAV.[2][48]

Fixed-wing cylindrical UAV.[49]

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia have been operating the CH-4, along the Wing Loong II drone in its military intervention in Yemen.[50]

On 12 July 2018, Houthi rebels shot down an armed Saudi Arabian CH-4 drone near Asir border.[51][52]

On 8 August 2018, Houthi rebels shot down an armed Saudi Arabian CH-4B drone near Tuwal border crossing.[53][54]

On 23 December 2018, Houthi rebels shot down a Saudi Arabian CH-4 drone.[55] in Saada province, northern Yemen and displayed the wreckage of the drone.[56][57]

On 11 April 2019, a Saudi Arabian CH-4 drone was lost over Yemen, according to Houthi media the Saudi drone was shot down by friendly fire.[58][59]

On 7 January 2020, Houthi rebels shot down an armed Saudi Arabian a CH-4B drone over Jawf province.[60][61]

On 22 December 2020, Houthi rebels shot down a Saudi Arabian CH-4B drone, serial number 20311 on the district of Madghal in Marib province.[62][63][64]

On 12 February 2021, Houthis intercepted a Saudi Arabian CASC Rainbow CH-4 drone in Meghdal, Marib Governorate, displaying footage of the CH-4 being shot down.[65][66]

On 23 March 2021, a Houthi spokesman said that Houthi forces shot down a US MQ-9 Reaper drone operating in Marib,[67] however a day later the Houthis published footage of the intercept that depicted a drone resembling the CH-4.[68][69]

On 23 May 2021, a Saudi Coalition CH-4 drone is shot down by Houthi fighters in Al-Maraziq, Al-Jawf governorate.[53][70] Later Houthi media wing released a video of the shootdown of the drone.[71]

On 6 October 2021, Houthis reported the shot down of a Saudi Arabian CASC Rainbow CH-4 drone in Juba district,[72] southern Marib province by Houthi Air Defenses, later displaying footage of the drone wreck.[73][74]

The United Arab Emirates Air Force have been operating the CH-4, along the Wing Loong II drone in its military intervention in Yemen.[50][75]