PLAAF releases new GJ-11 Xuanlong stealth UCAV footage alongside J-20 and J-16D

During the morning’s events marking another anniversary of the institution, the People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) released a short video featuring fresh footage of the stealth combat drone (UCAV) GJ-11, seen flying in formation with other combat aircraft. The newly unveiled clip, titled “Dreams of Great Reach”, is intended to showcase the major strides the service says it has made over the years to modernise and strengthen itself, both in quality and in overall scale.

New “Dreams of Great Reach” footage of the GJ-11 Xuanlong

In the scenes shown, the GJ-11 appears under the name Xuanlong (previously also known as Sharp Sword), taxiing out of its hangar and heading for the runway to begin its take-off run. A later segment depicts the drone integrated into a formation that includes the fifth-generation stealth fighter J-20 and the J-16D electronic-warfare aircraft.

From the 2019 debut to mixed manned–unmanned operations

It is worth recalling that the unmanned platform was first presented during the 2019 military parade commemorating China’s National Day. At the time, experts cited by local outlets suggested that only around now would it be reaching the operational maturity required to deploy alongside the manned aircraft mentioned above.

Once that capability is fully verified, the trio of GJ-11, J-20 and J-16D could become a highly dangerous combination against enemy air-defence networks, pairing radar-jamming capabilities with the option to carry out stealthy penetrations in order to strike high-value, heavily defended strategic targets.

Analysts’ view: the GJ-11 as a “spearhead”

Following this line of thinking, analysts in the Asian giant have speculated that the GJ-11 could serve as the “spearhead” in such missions. In practical terms, that would mean leading the package during the attack, conducting reconnaissance tasks first and then degrading enemy capabilities while the other two platforms remain at a safer distance.

In later phases, the J-20 would be tasked with delivering the final blow against the targets, at which point the stealth drone could shift into an escort role.

Although there is currently a lack of additional data or operational background on the subject, the point is presented as part of a broader approach the PLAAF is seeking to adopt, one that prioritises combining manned and unmanned assets for future operations. In that context, the GJ-11 is one of several developments Beijing is advancing to complement its current combat aircraft, including support drones and air-superiority drones such as those displayed on Victory Day on 3 September.

Finally, it is important to note that China’s new stealth drones would not only integrate into PLAAF formations, but also into naval fleets. In particular, a variant of the platform known as the GJ-21 is among the leading candidates to form part of the embarked air wing for the new Type 076 amphibious assault ships, whose flight deck will feature electromagnetic catapults drawing on lessons learned during the construction of the Fujian aircraft carrier.

Image credits: People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF)