China said its GJ-21 stealth reconnaissance and strike drone completed its first takeoff and landing aboard the Sichuan, the country's first Type 076 amphibious assault ship. The test marks a reported step from displaying the aircraft to operating it from a large naval platform.
The GJ-21 first appeared publicly at a Beijing military parade in 2025. Chinese state reporting describes it as a reusable, comparatively low-cost aircraft with a substantial combat radius that can carry small precision-guided weapons as well as conduct reconnaissance missions.
Operating a fixed-wing stealth drone at sea requires more than placing an aircraft on a deck. Launch, recovery, flight control, deck handling and maintenance must function as a system, making the successful cycle a test of both the drone and the ship's aviation architecture.
The Sichuan was launched in December 2024 and displaces more than 40,000 tonnes. It has a full-length flight deck, an electromagnetic catapult, arresting equipment and an automatic landing-guidance system, and is designed to carry fixed-wing drones, helicopters and amphibious vehicles.
State television said the vessel conducted consecutive sea trials in late October but did not disclose their location. China's defence ministry said equipment calibration and overall operational-stability tests had progressed since the ship began sea trials in November 2025.
The combination could give the navy longer-range surveillance and repeated precision-strike options without exposing pilots. It may also allow amphibious formations to generate aviation effects previously associated with larger carriers, although payload, sortie rate, sensor performance and combat readiness remain undisclosed.
The milestone should therefore be read as evidence of technical progress, not proof of a fully operational unit. Further trials, crew certification, integration with escorts and command networks, and sustained deployment at sea will determine whether the Type 076 and GJ-21 become a reliable combat system.
