China Achieves First Drone Takeoff and Landing from an Amphibious Assault Ship

China successfully tested the takeoff and landing of a stealth strike and reconnaissance drone, the GJ-21, from the amphibious assault ship Sichuan. According to specialized media reports, this marks the first time an unmanned aircraft has operated from a carrier or similar vessel at sea, a milestone for the Chinese navy.

The Sichuan is the lead ship of the Type 076 class, built at the Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding yard in Shanghai and launched in December 2024. It began sea trials in November 2025, with commissioning tentatively planned for 2027. The vessel features an electromagnetic catapult, three arresting cables and two side aircraft elevators, as well as a flight deck with a twin-island superstructure and a stern well deck capable of housing two Type 726 landing craft. Marine Insight noted that the ship has a full-load displacement of over 40,000 tons, while Maritime Executive described its flight deck as roughly 850 feet long by 170 feet wide, with capacity for more than 1,000 troops in addition to its crew.

The GJ-21 is a naval variant of the GJ-11 drone, a subsonic, tailless flying-wing design with a single turbofan engine, internal weapons bays, and landing gear compatible with catapult launch and arrestor hook recovery. It was first unveiled at a Beijing parade in 2025 marking the anniversary of the end of World War II, carrying various types of armament. Maritime Executive noted that the GJ-11 made its first flight in 2013 and has a reported takeoff weight of about 20,000 pounds, while Marine Insight highlighted its low manufacturing cost and reusability as advantages over stealth fighters such as the J-35 and J-20.

The Chinese Navy (PLAN) stated in a release that the flight demonstrates it now has the capability to operate fixed-wing stealth drones from large maritime combat platforms, though it did not disclose the date, location, or number of takeoffs and recoveries carried out, according to Baird Maritime. Military analyst Song Zhongping told Global Times that the Type 076 could serve as a testbed for cutting-edge technologies and operate independently as a drone carrier, generating technical knowledge that could be applied to China's future third aircraft carrier, the Type 003, for joint manned and unmanned aircraft operations.