China tests GJ-21 stealth UAV as Sichuan drone carrier enters final sea trials
China has begun flight-testing its GJ-21 stealth attack drone, a naval variant of the GJ-11, designed for deployment on the Type 076 amphibious assault ship. The vessel, often described as a drone carrier, is currently undergoing final sea trials and is expected to be delivered to the PLA Navy by the end of the year.
Why it matters
The integration of stealth drones with advanced amphibious assault ships represents a significant shift in naval warfare capabilities, particularly regarding potential regional conflicts in the Indo-Pacific.
China flight-tested its GK-21 stealth attack drone this month as the 40,000-tonne Sichuan, the amphibious assault ship designed to launch the drone, entered its final sea trials.According to the South China Morning Post, three recent videos posted on Chinese social media showed the GJ-21 flying over a highway service area in Huludao, a city in Liaoning province in northeastern China.The GJ-21, the naval variant of the GJ-11 stealth attack drone, was first unveiled at China’s Victory Day parade in September last year and has made only rare public appearances since.Computer-generated footage aired by state broadcaster CCTV in July showed the drone being launched from the Type 076 Sichuan, Beijing’s most advanced amphibious assault ship and the world’s first drone carrier.In its July broadcast, CCTV quoted an expert as saying that the Sichuan had entered its final…
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