BEIJING: China said on Friday that its GJ-21 stealth drone had completed its first takeoff and landing aboard the Sichuan, the country’s first Type 076 amphibious assault ship.
State news agency Xinhua announced the test, citing a Chinese navy source. Military officials described the operation as a breakthrough in the navy’s ability to deploy fixed-wing stealth drones from large warships.
The GJ-21 combines reconnaissance and strike capabilities. China first displayed the aircraft during a military parade in Beijing in 2025.
The Sichuan entered the water in December 2024 as the first vessel in China’s Type 076 amphibious assault ship class. It has a full-load displacement exceeding 40,000 metric tonnes, a full-length flight deck and two island superstructures.
Its aviation systems include electromagnetic catapults and arresting equipment designed to launch and recover fixed-wing aircraft. The ship can carry unmanned aircraft, helicopters and amphibious equipment.
Chinese state broadcaster CCTV said the Sichuan had conducted consecutive sea trials in late October. It did not identify the testing locations.
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Military expert Zhang Xuefeng told the Global Times that the GJ-21 offered a substantial combat radius despite its smaller airframe.
He compared its dimensions with China’s J-35 and J-20 stealth fighters. Zhang described the drone as reusable and relatively inexpensive. He also said it could carry small, guided glide bombs.
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However, the reporting provided no official figures for the aircraft’s range, payload or operating cost. China’s navy previously sent the Sichuan to the South China Sea for scientific testing and training in April.
Officials described the deployment as routine and said it did not target any specific country. China’s navy says the GJ-21 stealth reconnaissance and strike drone successfully completed its first takeoff and landing aboard the Type 076 amphibious assault ship Sichuan.
