The China Aerospace
Science and Technology Corporation's Cai Hong (Rainbow) 6, better known by its
designation CH-6. It is a long-endurance, twin-jet engine, multirole drone.
The CH-6 seems to be
situated in a capability space between its medium-altitude, medium-endurance,
stealthy unmanned combat aircraft brethren as well as China's long-endurance, medium-altitude,
jet-powered surveillance types and more advanced, high-altitude, long-endurance,
intelligence-gathering and sensor craft jet-powered drones.
The fact that it will be capable of being a
unmanned fighter jet that the People’s Liberation Army Air Force is looking to
push its unmanned kinetic capabilities farther afield than what is possible
now.
The aircraft’s jet
speed will favorably impact transit times to patrol or target areas and
maximize its endurance once there. Two engines would increase reliability, as
well, which could be key considering the distances involved with operating an
aircraft like this and the less-developed state of Chinese jet engine
technology.
In fact, the most
similar of China’s unmanned aircraft we know of to the CH-6 is probably the
Cloud Shadow. It is a single jet engine design that also has a lot in common
with previous Chinese propeller-driven combat drone designs, but is smaller and
lighter than the CH-6. Both aircraft can accomplish surveillance and kinetic
missions, but the CH-6 would likely be even better suited for the former due to
its size and weight, allowing multiple sensor systems and large ones at that to
be carried over long distances and at higher altitudes.
According to
China-Arms.com, which claims to have the basic information that will be
displayed about the CH-6:
The CH-6 UAV’s
parameters include maximum takeoff weight of 7.8 tons, maximum load capacity of
2 tons.
fuel capacity of 3.42 tons.
overall length of 15 meters. wingspan of 20.5
meters. height of 5 meters.
maximum level flight
speed of 800 km/h, cruise speed of 500 km/h.
maximum endurance of 20
hours.
maximum range of 12,000
km and an operating radius of 300 km.
The CH-6 is considered
to be a high-altitude, long-endurance unmanned system designed for intelligence
gathering, support, and strike roles. It looks almost something like a
drastically enlarged CH-5, but its rear configuration is very different from
that earlier design. It has a high T-tail setup, with two jet engines installed
atop the tail section side-by-side.
The drone's mid-set
long wings are also a bit swept and the entire package sits atop tall landing
gear. The aircraft also has a notable chine-line-like edge that wraps around
its ellipse-shaped fuselage.
This is a big deal, as
it could provide China with an 'everyday' high-altitude, long-endurance
platform that is not very sensitive in nature or expensive to procure and
operate. It can be a platform that potentially provides a kinetic punch but can
also haul around larger sensors and other payloads when required, all with twin
jet engine reliability.
Once again, this would
fill the unmanned flying ‘sensor truck’ gap that exists between aircraft like
the more advanced jet-powered Soar Dragon and the lower-performance
propeller-powered TB-001. Being far from exquisite, especially compared to some
of the stealthy unmanned aircraft China is currently pursuing, means that the
CH-6 can also probably be bought in significant numbers.
Chinese CH-6 drone, could
prove to be extremely important to the PLA's long-range ambitions.
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