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New Variant of China’s CH-5 Combat Drone Boasts Extended Endurance and Range
Citat:China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation’s (CASC) latest and most capable attack and reconnaissance unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), the Caihong 5 (CH-5), or Rainbow 5, will be fitted with a new heavy fuel engine, which will increase the endurance and range of the aircraft.
According to the chief designer of the CH series, Shi Wen, quoted in Chinese state media (and first reported by dafeng cao), the heavy fuel engine will extend the CH-5’s endurance to 60 hours and its range to over 10,000 kilometers. This constitutes approximately a 20 to 30 percent increase, Shi is quoted as saying.
There have been repeated reports that the CH-5 has already been fitted with a heavy fuel engine in the past and publicly available information has regularly cited the UAV’s endurance at around 60 hours and its range at 6,500 to 10,000 kilometers. As I explained in July 2017
The majority of sources, however, cite a 48-hour endurance and maximum range of around 8,000 kilometers. Given China’s still limited command and control capabilities, the CH-5’s actual operational range is likely around 250 kilometers via line-of-sight datalink and approximately 2,000 kilometers with satellite communication.
According to Shi, the new heavy fuel engine is slated to be installed and tested in the coming months. Most Western-made UAVs are powered by heavy fuel engines. Heavy fuel is denser and contains more energy than regular gasoline, which translates into greater endurance and range for aircraft limited in their fuel volume.
 [Link mogu videti samo ulogovani korisnici]
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