China’s GJ-21 Stealth Drone Makes First Shipborne Takeoff and Landing

China says its GJ-21 stealth reconnaissance-strike drone has completed its first takeoff and landing aboard the Type 076 amphibious assault ship Sichuan, according to state news agency Xinhua.

Xinhua reported from Beijing on October 30, citing a navy source, that the GJ-21 “has recently completed its first takeoff and landing operation aboard the Sichuan, China’s first Type 076 amphibious assault ship.” The agency called the aircraft the first shipborne stealth reconnaissance-strike drone in Chinese service and said the test marks a breakthrough in the development of the country’s amphibious assault ships.

GJ-21 Completes First Shipborne Takeoff and Landing

Xinhua said the operation shows the Chinese navy can now launch and recover fixed-wing stealth drones from large maritime combat platforms. It did not give the exact date of the flight, saying only that it happened recently.

The South China Morning Post reported, citing Xinhua, that the Sichuan conducted consecutive sea trials in late October. The Global Times, a Chinese state-run newspaper, also carried the announcement.

The reported test has not been independently confirmed.

Sichuan Is Built Around Electromagnetic Launch and Recovery

The Sichuan, hull number 51, is the first Type 076 amphibious assault ship. It was launched and named on December 27, 2024, at a ceremony in Shanghai.

According to Xinhua, the ship has a full-load displacement of more than 40,000 tonnes and a dual-island superstructure with a full-length flight deck. It uses electromagnetic catapult and arresting technology, a fully automated landing guidance system and a new integrated power system. It can carry fixed-wing drones, helicopters and amphibious equipment.

Most amphibious assault ships operate helicopters and short-takeoff or vertical-landing jets such as the F-35B. The Type 076 is designed to launch and recover conventional fixed-wing aircraft.

GJ-21 Is a Naval Stealth Drone Linked to the GJ-11

The GJ-21, also called Attack-21 or Gongji-21, was first publicly identified at the September 3, 2025, military parade in Beijing, where it appeared on a truck marked with the number 21.

Outside analysts describe it as a naval variant of the GJ-11 “Sharp Sword” stealth drone, a flying-wing design unveiled at China’s 2019 parade. The GJ-21 reportedly differs in having a larger wingspan, folding wings and a tailhook for arrested landings. China has not published detailed specifications.

Clash Report reported in October 2025 that China had tested the massive GJ-X stealth drone, and in December 2025 that China had flown the Jiutian drone carrier for the first time.

Sea Trials Have Run Since November 2025

The Sichuan began its first sea trial on November 14, 2025, leaving Hudong-Zhonghua shipyard in Shanghai. It returned to the dock on November 16 after a three-day navigation test that checked its power and electrical systems, according to China’s Ministry of National Defense.

Xinhua says the ship has since conducted its sea trials as planned, completing equipment checks and tests of overall operational stability. Chinese state media have also shown footage of a catapult test using a dead load, which observers described as a preliminary step before aircraft launches, along with computer-generated imagery of the ship launching a GJ-21.

What State Media Did Not Say

The Xinhua report did not say whether the GJ-21 was launched with the electromagnetic catapult, whether the landing used the ship’s arresting gear, or how many flights took place. It also gave no performance data for the aircraft.

China has not announced when the Sichuan will enter service. Outside reports cited by Chinese media suggest commissioning could come late in 2026 or in 2027, but there is no official date.

Whether the GJ-21 can operate routinely from the ship, including carrying weapons or sensors, remains unclear. A single takeoff and landing is an early step toward such operations rather than evidence that the drone is ready for service at sea.