The "five-piece aircraft carrier set" may be upgraded in the future! Experts interpret the new "5+X" model

In late October, our army's first ship-borne surveillance and attack stealth drone "Attack-21" successfully took off and landed on the Type 076 amphibious assault ship Sichuan for the first time. This is another breakthrough in the development of my country's amphibious assault ships, marking that the People's Navy has the ability to take off and land fixed-wing stealth drones on large maritime combat platforms.

The "Attack-21" stealth drone adopts a tailless flying wing, a wing-body fusion layout, and a built-in bomb bay and fuel space. It will make its first public appearance in the 2025 September 3rd military parade.

Can the "Attack-21" successfully take off and land on the Fujian ship?

"Attack-21" can successfully take off and land on the Sichuan ship, does it also mean that it can successfully take off and land on the Fujian ship?

Wei Dongxu, military observer of the main station: I think there is no problem at all. It can even be said that there are no technical obstacles. This will create a new combat mode. We often hear that Fujian ships have a "five-piece aircraft carrier suit". In fact, it is more than a five-piece suit, it may be "5+X". This "X" is most likely to be a carrier-based stealth drone similar to the "Attack-21" that integrates surveillance and attack, because it can conduct joint operations with the J-35 manned stealth carrier-based fighter.

"Attack-21" may become the vanguard and the most powerful weapon to knock out the opponent's defense system and early warning system. The J-35 can cover it, share information with it, and even issue combat instructions to it.

Is it possible for manned aircraft and unmanned aerial vehicles to cooperate in cross-platform collaborative operations?

So, is it possible for manned aircraft and unmanned aerial vehicles to cooperate in cross-platform collaborative operations? For example, let the carrier-based aircraft on the Fujian ship command the "Attack-21" stealth drone that took off from the Sichuan ship.

Wei Dongxu, Military Observer of the Main Station: I think this is possible. There are two ways.

The first way is to use satellite communication methods on the Sichuan ship to command the "Attack-21", allowing this type of "Attack-21" ship-borne surveillance and attack integrated stealth drone to sneak out to more distant areas to detect and attack targets, opening a relatively safer channel for the carrier-based aircraft forces.

There is also a mode where pilots like the J-15T or J-35 can directly issue instructions to the "Attack-21", allowing it to go deep alone and carry out direct hunting of high-value targets in deep areas.