CASC Rainbow

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

CH-1

The CH-1 is a small fixed-wing reconnaissance UAV.[better source needed] Development started in 2000.

CH-2

The CH-2 is a small fixed-wing reconnaissance UAV.[better source needed]

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, BRM-1 90mm guided rocket, FT-7 130 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 300 kW 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.[verification needed]

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

Comparison of major Chinese made military UAVs
Model	Manufacturer	Armaments	Takeoff weight	Engine type	Maximum cruise speed	Operational endurance
CH-1	CASC	No	220 kg	Piston	140 km/h	6 hours
CH-2	CASC	No	220 kg	Piston	160 km/h	8 hours
CH-3	CASC	Yes, 80 kg	650 kg	Piston	220 km/h	12 hours
CH-4	CASC	Yes, 345 kg	1330 kg	Piston	180 km/h	30 hours for recon / 12 hours for strike
CH-5	CASC	Yes, 1000 kg	3300 kg	Turboprop	220 km/h	60 hours for recon / 30 hours with 8 AR-1 missiles
GJ-1 (Wing Loong 1)	Chengdu	Yes, 200 kg	1100 kg	Piston	280 km/h	20 hours
GJ-2 (Wing Loong 2)	Chengdu	Yes, 480 kg	4200 kg	Turboprop	370 km/h	32 hours / 20 hours at max speed
Wing Loong 3	Chengdu	Yes, 2300 kg	6200 kg	Turboprop	Unknown	40 hours
Chengdu WZ-10	Chengdu	Yes, 400 kg	3200 kg	Turbojet	370 km/h	32 hours
WJ-700	CASIC	Yes	3500 kg	Turbofan	Unknown	20 hours
WJ-600 A/D	CASIC	Yes	Unknown	Turbofan	850 km/h	5 hours
TB-001A	Tengdeng	Yes, 1200 kg	3200 kg	Turboprop	Unknown	35 hours at 1000 kg payload

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:CH-3 and CH-4B produce locally by license

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