China flight-tests GJ-21 stealth attack drone as Type 076 Sichuan nears service

China flight-tested its GK-21 stealth attack drone this month as the 40,000-tonne Sichuan, the amphibious assault ship designed to launch the drone, entered its final sea trials. According to the South China Morning Post, three recent videos posted on Chinese social media showed the GJ-21 flying over a highway service area in Huludao, a city in Liaoning province in northeastern China.

The GJ-21, the naval variant of the GJ-11 stealth attack drone, was first unveiled at China’s Victory Day parade in September last year and has made only rare public appearances since. Computer-generated footage aired by state broadcaster CCTV in July showed the drone being launched from the Type 076 Sichuan, Beijing’s most advanced amphibious assault ship and the world’s first drone carrier.

In its July broadcast, CCTV quoted an expert as saying that the Sichuan had entered its final testing phase. The Sichuan is the world’s only amphibious assault ship equipped with an electromagnetic catapult system and is expected to launch both crewed and uncrewed fixed-wing aircraft, including the GJ-21 drone, as well as helicopters.

Also on Thursday, satellite imagery shared by X user MT Anderson appeared to show the Sichuan, along with two Type 052 destroyers and three Type 054 frigates, off the Qingdao naval base on August 25. The base is the headquarters of the PLA Navy’s Northern Theatre Command.

With a full-load displacement of more than 40,000 tonnes, the Sichuan is designed to transport landing craft, troops, armoured vehicles and aircraft for amphibious operations. It is also expected to be among Beijing’s key assets in any potential conflict over Taiwan. The PLA Navy is expected to take delivery of the warship by the end of this year.