CH-5’s endurance is 60 hours compared to 14 hours of the Reaper’s. Future blocks of CH-5 will be able to stay in the air for up to 120 hours.
Reaper good or bad, it's not your toy.
The Maximum Takeoff Weight (MTOW) of the CH-5 is approximately 3,300 kg (7,275 lbs), which is about 1,500 kg less than the Reaper and 2,100 kg less than the Heron TP. The lower MTOW of the CH-5 limits the ordinance it can carry when compared to its American and Israeli counterparts. The Reaper can be equipped with a variety of payloads, but it typically carries several hellfire missiles and two 227 kg (500 lbs) bombs.
Amid its ongoing economic development and military modernization, China has emerged as one of a handful of global leaders in the development of unmanned systems. As China continues to advance its UAV technology, it is poised to play a dominant role in shaping industry trends.
chinapower.csis.org
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CH-5 Rainbow is impressive UAV no doubt but 60 hours endurance claim with inferior engine? This is not possible with heavy payload.
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MQ-9 Reaper represent a battle-proven platform capable of missions in extreme weather conditions and even Air-to-Air engagements.
And when you induct a new strike platform, you are not merely buying units, you buy munitions and other stuff with it and you create infrastructure to support and manage it. These things cost money.
Do people think that Pakistani military procurements are cheap? No, they are not. WE have our fair share of billion dollar deals.
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Harr cheez kaa mazakh aurrana zaroori nahin hota.
To numerous members - Please introduce professionalism in your responses. Make discussions productive, informative, and engaging for potential readers.