China’s stealthy GJ-21 reconnaissance and strike drone recently completed its first successful take-off and landing aboard the Sichuan, the People’s Liberation Army Navy’s (PLAN) first Type 076 amphibious assault ship.
Significantly, Sichuan is the world’s first catapult-enabled drone carrier. Bearing hull number ‘51’, Sichuan was launched and christened on 27 December 2024.
Besides operating from the Type 076, the GJ-21 could also be deployed on the PLAN’s electromagnetic aircraft launch system (EMALS)-equipped aircraft carriers in the future.
The GJ-21 is the naval version of Hongdu’s GJ-11 Sharp Sword, a tailless flying-wing design powered by a single turbofan engine and with a 14.5m wingspan. The uncrewed GJ-21 features folding wings, an arrestor hook for landings and a double nose wheel gear with a catapult launch bar.
Adopting a flying-wing configuration and an S-shaped top-mounted air intake, this unmanned aircraft eliminates strong radar reflective sources and delivers an excellent all-aspect stealth capability that is considered superior to that of current in-service manned stealth fighters.
The flying-wing design also boosts subsonic cruise efficiency.
The Type 076 vessel could serve as a testbed for cutting-edge technologies, operate independently as a drone carrier, and help build technical capabilities for China’s aircraft carriers to host future manned-unmanned teaming. This would expand the operations of PLAN carrier strike groups.
In addition, the Type 076’s EMALS could allow the catapult take-off-but-assisted-recovery-capable Shenyang J-15T fighter, as well as the new twin turboprop Xian KJ-600 airborne early warning aircraft, to operate from the amphibious assault ship.
Displacing 45,000 tonnes, the 252m-long Type 076 vessel features stern access for hovercraft-type transports or amphibious vehicles via a well deck, while the flight deck has two side-mounted elevators to move aircraft to the hangar below.
The ship incorporates a fully automated landing guidance system and a new integrated power system.
