Air system · MALE
CH-5 Rainbow
Reconnaissance / Strike
Also known as: Rainbow CH-5 / Caihong-5 / CH-5
CH-5 Rainbow overview
The CH-5 Rainbow (Caihong-5) is a large medium-altitude, long-endurance unmanned aerial vehicle developed by the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC). Unveiled at the 2016 Zhuhai Airshow and first flown in 2017, the CH-5 represents the most advanced member of China's prolific Rainbow (Caihong) drone family. With an extraordinary endurance of up to 60 hours and 16 hardpoints capable of carrying 1,200 kg of ordnance, it is among the most capable Chinese drones ever produced and directly competes with the MQ-9 Reaper in both capability and export markets.
As of 2025, the CH-5 has been offered widely on the international market, with interest from Middle Eastern and African nations. The aircraft carries AR-1/AR-2 air-to-ground missiles and FT-series precision guided bombs. CASC has promoted the platform for both military strike/ISR operations and civilian applications such as maritime patrol, disaster relief, and communications relay. The CH-5's significance lies in its record-setting endurance and payload capacity within the Chinese drone family, demonstrating China's ability to produce UAS platforms competitive with Western equivalents at substantially lower price points.
Armament
AR-1/AR-2 missiles, FT-series bombs
Development and operational timeline
- CH-5 Rainbow unveiled at Zhuhai Airshow
- CH-5 completes first flight and weapons integration tests
- CASC demonstrates 60-hour endurance flight
- CH-5 offered to multiple export customers at IDEX
- Upgraded CH-5B variant with improved SATCOM displayed at Zhuhai