Caihong CH-7 Stealth droneThe fourteenth International Airshow China will be held in Zhuhai city of China's southern Guangdong Province from November 8 to 13. Taking into account the fact that combat drones show their high efficiency in military conflicts, Chinese engineers pay special attention to the development of the latest UAVs for various applications. Several types of modern drones are presented at the exhibition, including the Caihong line of drones manufactured by China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp (CASC), which is one of the world leaders in the design and production of unmanned aerial vehicles.
The visitors of the air show are very interested in the newest stealth drone Caihong CH-7, the prototype of which, after a significant modernization, CASC will present to the public for the first time. The company's chief engineer Shi Wen told the Chinese edition of Global Times that the combat drone, the first sample of which was released in 2018, was significantly upgraded based on flight tests and military recommendations.
The modified UAV received a wingspan of 26 meters, which is 4 meters more than the first model. Now the drone is able to reach a maximum flight altitude of 15 kilometers, as opposed to 10-13 km, which its predecessor could climb. The maximum take-off weight of the drone is ten tons, which is also significantly more than the previous CH-7 of the so-called zero version. In the modified version, the UAV received a higher degree of protection from enemy air defense detection.
– a representative of the developer company told the Chinese edition.
In addition to the upgraded CH-7, the Chinese drone manufacturer will present a modified version of the Caihong CH-5 medium-class UAV, which is already exported to many countries and is used in real combat conditions. This drone is designed to fly in the coastal zone, control coastal and marine objects and strike them, including in difficult weather conditions. Now this UAV is capable of dropping sonar buoys designed to detect submarines into the sea. According to experts, with joint operations with anti-submarine aircraft and ships, it can become a "submarine hunter" with enhanced capabilities.
In addition to military applications, the Caihong line of drones is used for civilian monitoring of surfaces in large areas, a representative of the manufacturer said.