(Franco Iacch)
04/11/16

Cai Hong 5, flagship of Chinese UAV technology and already defined at home as the most powerful drone of the world, was unveiled to the public during the International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition, being held in Zhuhai. According to the little information branched, the UAV would be able to fly for twenty thousand kilometers without refueling, with an estimated range of 48 hours.

The CH-5 is the largest of China's combat drone: also seems to be a perfect copy of the MQ-9 Reaper US. According AsiaOne, the CH-5 is able to carry smart bombs, missiles and radar jammers of new conception. Cai Hong 5 made its first flight in August last year.

Chinese UAVs in Iraq

Last October the Iraqis have tested in battle against the Islamic State, in Anbar province, their first combat drone: a CH-4B Rainbow Chinese manufacturing. To date sconosce the actual amount of the contracts signed between Baghdad and Beijing, but the Chinese should have sold, in an unknown number, both the combat version (the CH-4B) that the reconnaissance (CH-4A) with a ' estimated range in 40-hour flight. Chinese UAVs in Iraq should be free of electro-optical and equipped with GPS guidance sensor. The supply is known from March last year.

Cai Hong 4

Version 4 of the drone Cai Hong, developed by the Aerospace Science and Technology of China, is in service with the People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) since August of 2014. Externally identical to the General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper, except that for the ventral fin under the tail absent in CH-4, was built in two variants: 4A and 4B. The CH-4A is a reconnaissance drone with a range of 3500/4000 km. The attack and reconnaissance version, however, can carry a payload of 330 kg. And 'considered capable of launching air-to-surface missiles from 5,000 meters, thus outside the effective range of most anti-aircraft guns.

The CH-4 Iraqis

The CH-4 Iraqis are armed with laser-guided missiles and guided bombs AR-1 FT-9. The AR-1, developed dall'HJ-10, a missile is specifically designed to be carried by drones. With a weight of 45 kg (tested ten kg), the missile has a top speed of Mach 1.1. To date it has only been confirmed just a kind of driving style inertial / GPS. The missile is considered able to penetrate armor of a thousand millimeters. The small bomb FT-9, finally, is specifically designed for the Chinese drones. Confirmed the GPS guidance / INS.

(Photo: Ruptly)

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