One of the novelties of the international aviation and space salon Airshow China 2021 will be the CH-6 reconnaissance and strike UAV. In the photos shown, it can be viewed in detail for the first time.
On the twenty-eighth of September, the international aviation and space exhibition Airshow China will open in Zhuhai. Some of the exhibits are already known: one of them was the Cai Hong (Rainbow) 6 attack UAV, better known as the CH-6.
It was developed by the Chinese Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation. The CH-6 is considered a high-altitude UAV of long flight duration, or HALE (High Altitude Long Endurance). It is designed to collect intelligence information and launch strikes.
CH-6
Image source: twitter
The drone was already called the "enlarged CH-5" (the famous Chinese attack drone), but this is only partially true. The new UAV has a number of features that can be called "unique". The device received a T-shaped tail with two jet engines installed in the rear side by side. It is difficult to say why they chose this layout.
CH-6
Image source: twitter
If we compare the novelty with the developments of the United States, then the Avenger from General Atomics can be considered the closest to the CH-6. At the same time, less attention was paid to the low radar visibility in the design of the "Chinese".
Whatever it was, with the advent of the CH-6, the line of Chinese attack UAVs will expand even more, although now the PRC occupies one of the leading places in this direction.
CH-6
Image source: twitter
According to media reports, the length of the new UAV is 15 meters, and the wingspan is 20.5 meters. The device can accelerate up to 800 kilometers per hour, cruising speed-500-700 kilometers per hour. The maximum take-off weight of the CH-6 is 7.8 tons.
CH-6
Image source: twitter
The maximum duration of the CH-6 flight is 20 hours (reconnaissance version) or eight hours (reconnaissance and strike). The maximum load capacity will be 300 kilograms (reconnaissance version) or two tons (reconnaissance and strike). The flight range reaches 12 thousand and 4.5 thousand kilometers, respectively.
Recently, Russia has been actively working on the creation of shock UAVs. The country has made efforts in this area before, but they often ended in nothing.
The most significant Russian development can be called the Orion UAV, which was previously tested in Syria, including strikes on the ground. Not so long ago, the Ministry of Defense showed the appearance of the device in a shock configuration.
"Orion" in the shock version
Image source: Ministry of Defense
We also recall that recently a video was posted on the Network of the drop of adjustable small-sized bombs (probably KAB-20S) from the Forpost-R unmanned aerial vehicle during the Zapad-2021 exercises.