Top 10 Most Expensive Military Drones in the World
China has two on the list, the Rainbow-5 is worth 30 million US dollars each
The world's 10 most expensive military drones, two of which are listed in China, and the Rainbow-5 is worth 30 million US dollars each
Recently, the world-renowned military blog "military machine" has compiled a ranking of the global drone prices. Among the top ten most expensive drones, China has two seats.
First place: British "Thor" drone. is the name of an unmanned combat aircraft (UCAV) under development by BAE Systems, expected to enter service in 2030, with a speed of 500-700 mph and an unknown range. The price of the aircraft is as high as 206 million US dollars per unit.
Second place: American MQ-25 "Stingray" UAV. The first unmanned aerial refueling aircraft in history is expected to be put into operation in 2024. In 2018, the U.S. Navy awarded Boeing an $804 million contract to design, develop, manufacture, test, deliver and support four MQ-25As. The aircraft can carry about 15,000 pounds of fuel and has a maximum range of nearly 600 miles. The price of the aircraft is as high as 201 million US dollars per unit.
Third place: American RQ-4 "Global Hawk" UAV. Northrop Grumman's high-altitude, long-endurance, long-range unmanned reconnaissance aircraft (UAV) with an integrated sensor suite provides all-weather, day and night intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities. The 46-foot-long, 130-foot wingspan is powered by a Rolls-Royce E3007H engine with a top speed of 375 mph and a battery life of more than 24 hours. The naval type is the MQ-4C, similar to the Air Force type, and the engine is the North American F137-RR-100 turbofan engine. $131 million for the Air Force RQ-4 and $120 million for the Navy MQ-4C.
Fourth place: Turkey Anka "Anka" UAV. Anka, developed by Turkish Aerospace, is an advanced medium-altitude long-endurance (MALE) unmanned aerial system equipped with EO/IR and SAR payloads for day/night, all-weather reconnaissance, target detection/recognition and Intelligence missions, with autonomous flight capabilities including automatic takeoff and landing. The aircraft is 26 feet long and has a wingspan of 57 feet. It can stay in the air for 24 hours and has a maximum ceiling of 30,000 feet. The aircraft is as high as 100 million US dollars / frame.
Fifth place: European Talarion "Talarion" UAV. Developed by European Aerospace Defense and Space Corporation (European Aerospace, EADS), production began in 2008, and the model was displayed at the Paris Air Show in 2009. It first flew in 2015 and was officially put into use in 2018. The main task is reconnaissance, and the payload can be increased if necessary. The aircraft is 32 feet long, has a wingspan of 96 feet, has a top speed of 400 mph, has a range of nearly 10,000 miles, and has a maximum ceiling of 50,000 feet. The aircraft is 80 million US dollars / frame.
Sixth place: American MQ-9 "Reaper" UAV. It is the ninth generation of the MQ series. It is an "armed, multi-mission, medium-to-high altitude, long-endurance remote control aircraft, mainly used for fighting against dynamic targets, and secondly for intelligence collection. The MQ series is based on the MQ-1 "Predator". Basic, can be transported by C-130 "Hercules" transport aircraft. The MQ-9 was put into use in 2007, and there are currently 93 MQ-9s in service with the US Air Force. The aircraft is 36 feet long, has a wingspan of 66 feet, and can fly 1150 miles, the maximum ceiling is 50,000 feet. The aircraft is 64.2 million US dollars per unit.
Seventh place: Chinese Sky Saker drone. Chinese arms manufacturer NORINCO usually dabble in armoured vehicles and small arms, the Sky Saker series of drones is their latest attempt in the field of drones, the prototype of which is the Chengdu Wing Loong drone, its intelligence/ The surveillance/reconnaissance role has been increased, and the attack capability is not yet known. In January 2019, China Ordnance Group launched the "Sky Saker FX500" (Sky Saker FX500) new turbojet UAV at the Africa Shield Air Show. The aircraft is $55 million per unit.
Eighth place: Israel's Eitan "Eitan" UAV. The Israeli-made large drone, comparable to the US RQ-4 Global Hawk, reportedly has a maximum ceiling of 45,000 feet, a battery life of up to 72 hours, and can carry a wide variety of ammunition. The aircraft is about 45 feet long, has an 86-foot wingspan, has a maximum takeoff weight of nearly 12,000 pounds, and has a maximum flight speed of 250 mph. The aircraft is 35 million US dollars / frame.
Ninth place: Chinese CH-5 "Rainbow-5" UAV. Rainbow series UAVs have always been the best products in China's long-range UAVs. The latest CH-5 (CH-7 is in development) is a product of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation. This is a combat drone designed for combat, operated jointly by China and Saudi Arabia, and several sources have compared the CH-5 to the US MQ-9 Reaper in form and function, however the Chinese claim Its price is only half of the "Grim Reaper". The CH-5 has been in service since 2017 and the exact specs are unknown, but as we said - it's very similar to the MQ-9. The aircraft is 30 million US dollars / frame.
Ninth place: Chinese CH-5 "Rainbow-5" UAV. Rainbow series UAVs have always been the best products in China's long-range UAVs. The latest CH-5 (CH-7 is in development) is a product of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation. This is a combat drone designed for combat, operated jointly by China and Saudi Arabia, and several sources have compared the CH-5 to the US MQ-9 Reaper in form and function, however the Chinese claim Its price is only half of the "Grim Reaper". The CH-5 has been in service since 2017 and the exact specs are unknown, but as we said - it's very similar to the MQ-9. The aircraft is 30 million US dollars / frame.
