China Begins Production of Drone That Rivals US MQ-9 Reaper
CH-5 Rainbow is touted to cost less than half of the $16.9 million US Reaper.
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China has started commercial production of its CH-5 Rainbow drone, touted to be a rival to the US unmanned aerial vehicle MQ-9 Reaper, which could attack targets on the ground.
Wang Song, an associate professor with the school of aeronautic science and engineering at China's Beihang University, said the first flight of a mass-produced CH-5 Rainbow, a heavy military drone, on Friday last week signals China's readiness to export it.
He said the drone equals that of the US General Atomics – MQ-9 Reaper – but around half the cost.
The Reaper can climb to a height of between 12,000 and 15,000 metres. This allows the US drone to stay above the reach of most ground fire.
The CH-5, on the other hand, cannot operate at more than 9,000 metres, which makes it vulnerable to some anti-aircraft weaponry, Wang was quoted as saying by the Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post on Tuesday.
The limited ceiling of the Rainbow is a by-product of its relatively weak engine, according to Wang, who noted that China still lagged behind the West in aircraft engine technology.
“This is in fact the weakness of all China-made aeroplanes,” he said.
United States Reaper, or Predator B, was the world's first unmanned aerial vehicle that could attack targets on the ground. It costs 16.9 million dollars, which makes it the world's most expensive drone.
State-run CGTN TV also showed a video of the CH-5 destroying targets.
On 14 July, China's state-run Xinhua news agency reported that the mass-production model of China’s unmanned aerial vehicle - CH-5, or “Rainbow 5” - completed its trial flight in north China's Hebei Province.
It can conduct reconnaissance, surveillance, patrol, target positioning and strike missions, Shi Wen, chief engineer of the Rainbow drone project at the China Academy of Aerospace Aerodynamics told the news agency.
“We’ve made several modifications after its debut, and its comprehensive functions are among the world's best,” Shi Wen claimed.
The CH-5 can also be used for civilian purposes such as resource surveying, marine environmental protection, disaster survey, marine law enforcement and emergency responses, Shi said.
“We will conduct more trial flights and might add fine changes to meet needs of various customers. We believe it will be a success in domestic and international markets,” he added.
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