Chinese Navy reportedly flies GJ-21 stealth drone with Fujian’s J-15T and J-35 fighters

Local analysts writing on social media have claimed that the Chinese Navy has, for the first time, operated its most up-to-date stealth drone alongside fighters from the carrier air wing of the aircraft carrier Fujian, including J-15T aircraft and the more advanced J-35. The unmanned systems in question are said to be the GJ-21, described as a naval variant of the GJ-11 Sharp Sword and, according to media in the Asian giant, the first of their kind anywhere in the world to already be in operational service.

Looking more closely at the details shared in the posts cited, it is stated that “a new type of carrier-based aircraft” flew together with J-15T and J-35 fighters, providing mainly reconnaissance capability alongside other KJ-600 airborne early warning aircraft. Continuing in the same vein as the Chinese analysts’ reporting, this was said to have formed part of an exercise intended to assess how different platforms can work in a coordinated manner, operating as such within various combat groups tasked with surveillance and air-defence missions.

In that context, it is worth recalling that the aircraft carrier Fujian and at least one of its escort vessels recently conducted drills in the Bohai Sea, specifically in waters near the city of Qinhuangdao. As previously reported, this is an area that has repeatedly been selected to test Fujian and its aircraft under realistic conditions-particularly given that China’s most modern carrier is still believed to be in a trial phase aimed at validating its capabilities.

Fujian’s EMALS catapults and carrier air wing operations

Among the main elements being assessed are the new electromagnetic catapults (EMALS) fitted to Fujian’s flight deck, marking a significant step forward compared with the STOBAR systems used on the Chinese Navy’s first two aircraft carriers. This is not a minor detail, as it will allow the ship to operate a broader range of aircraft, including heavier fighters as well as the aforementioned airborne early warning platforms.

GJ-21 drone roles: reconnaissance and strike missions

As for what remains known only in very limited terms about the GJ-21 drones said to have taken part in these drills, they can be described as aircraft with a high degree of manoeuvrability and endurance. According to Chinese publications, their design is intended to support both surveillance and attack missions, within the set of capabilities that Beijing could deploy in the event of an amphibious assault against Taiwan, or against naval targets operating in the waters surrounding the territory of the Asian giant.

Stealth improvements and potential deployment from Type 076 ships

It is also important to highlight claims that these drones would incorporate new materials that enhance their stealth compared with the original GJ-11, along with aerodynamic changes aimed at boosting performance. Another point to note is that the Chinese Navy may be able to use them not only from the aircraft carrier Fujian, but also from the new Type 076 amphibious assault ships-whose decks have already hosted mock-ups of the GJ-21. Each of these ships could reportedly embark up to 19 units, a figure considered sufficient to reduce the operational burden on aircraft carriers in combat.

Images used for illustrative purposes

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