China Begins Operation of Latest GJ-11 Stealth Drones

The Chinese military has launched trial operations of the latest GJ-11 Sharp Sword drones.

The War Zone reported on this, citing satellite images of a Chinese airfield.

Such activity is consistent with operational testing and may indicate the GJ-11 is reaching initial operational capability.

Images from the Planet Labs archive captured three GJ-11s at Shigatse Air Base (Shigatse Peace) in the Tibet Autonomous Region between August 6 and September 5, confirming the platform is in use.

The project has been in development for more than a decade and is believed to be intended for strike and reconnaissance missions, with potential roles in aerial combat.

At least two of the drones in the images are painted gray, typical of other Chinese military aircraft; another has a reddish-brown protective coating. A September 10 Planet Labs image of Shigatse also shows fighters with similar coatings.

Although Shigatse is remote, it takes a strategic position on China’s southwestern flank near the Indian border — northeast of Sikkim, an area where clashes have occurred.

Flights from Shigatse will allow testing and development of tactics and procedures for operational use, and help define the drones’ role in combat formations.

Having multiple Sharp Swords at the base also enables demonstrations of joint operations, cooperation with manned platforms, and possibly a high degree of autonomy. The J-20 has been suggested as a potential manned partner for the GJ-11.

Further development reportedly includes a naval variant or derivative for carriers and large amphibious ships, sometimes referred to unofficially as the GJ-11H, GJ-11J, or GJ-21.