China's state-run broadcaster CCTV has released new footage of the People's Liberation Army Air Force's GJ-11 stealth drone, offering a close-up look at the aircraft's design and revealing details of its first live-fire strike mission, Global Times reported.
The footage also featured Shi Xiaoran and Fu Ting, two members of the PLA Air Force's first batch of female drone operators trained by the service. The duo reportedly scored a direct hit on their first attempt during the GJ-11's maiden live-fire strike mission, CCTV said.
According to CCTV, Shi and Fu completed their operational training in five months before participating in the strike mission alongside other members of their unit.
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The footage offers a detailed look at the GJ-11, codenamed Xuanlong, a domestically developed unmanned combat aircraft featuring a tailless flying-wing design. It highlights key components such as the dorsal air intake, exhaust nozzle, landing gear and internal weapons bay.
The aircraft has an air intake positioned on top of its fuselage, a flattened rear section and an internal weapons bay beneath its body. The configuration allows it to carry different types of air-to-surface weapons without exposing external hardpoints, helping reduce its radar signature.
Chinese military affairs expert Song Zhongping told the state-backed Global Times that the multi-angle footage highlighted the aircraft's distinctive stealth-oriented design.
Song said the dorsal air intake contributed to its low-observable characteristics, while the exhaust nozzle had also undergone specialised treatment to enhance stealth. The aircraft additionally uses radar-absorbing coatings to minimise its radar cross-section and improve its ability to penetrate defended airspace.
The GJ-11 is designed to undertake missions including precision air strikes and suppression of enemy air defences (SEAD). Its stealth characteristics, extended endurance and strike accuracy could make it an important component of China's future air combat capabilities.
How China's GJ-11 Drone Will Be Used In Combat
CCTV described the GJ-11 as a pioneer in unmanned combat aviation, noting that attacks against heavily defended ground targets could expose conventional aircraft and their crews to considerable risks.
Unmanned combat platforms such as the GJ-11 could undertake some of these high-risk missions, potentially reducing personnel and equipment losses.
The broadcaster also provided details of how drone operators control the aircraft from specialised command cabins, issuing instructions to manage its flight as battlefield conditions change.
Training sessions are tailored to combat requirements and can extend beyond six hours, with some exercises continuing over several days. The command cabins are designed for mobile deployment and can be transported aboard military aircraft to operational areas.
Speaking about the growing sophistication of unmanned warfare, Shi said drone technology was advancing at a remarkable pace. She told CCTV that several applications once associated with science fiction were already being explored in real-world military operations.
She added that future air combat would increasingly depend on battlefield awareness, intelligent systems and the precise control of military equipment rather than the gender of the personnel operating them.
GJ-11 Stealth Drone: From Unveiling To Operational Service
The GJ-11 was first publicly unveiled during China's National Day military parade in Beijing in 2019. It subsequently appeared at the China International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition, popularly known as Airshow China, in Zhuhai in 2021.
During the exhibition, the aircraft displayed its two internal weapons bays, each capable of accommodating multiple precision-guided bombs, according to Global Times reporters who observed it at the event.
Its operational status became clearer in November 2025, when the PLA Air Force released a short film marking its 76th anniversary. The film showed the GJ-11 in service, signalling China's growing emphasis on coordinated operations involving manned and unmanned aircraft.
The film also featured an aerial formation comprising the GJ-11, the J-20 stealth fighter and the J-16D electronic warfare aircraft. Song described the combination as an effective configuration for penetrating an adversary's air defence network.
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According to the expert, the GJ-11 would have undergone extensive testing before entering service and participating in coordinated formations with advanced combat aircraft. Its appearance alongside the J-20 and J-16D indicated that the platform had likely achieved sufficient technical maturity and operational capability, he said.
Song also referred to the GJ-21, recently showcased alongside China's Type 076 amphibious assault ship Sichuan, describing it as a carrier-based derivative developed from the GJ-11 design. He said the development of a naval variant reflected the technological maturity of the original Air Force platform.
Meanwhile, military commentator Zhang Xuefeng said the upcoming 16th edition of Airshow China could offer further insights into the country's expanding unmanned aviation programme. Whether the GJ-11 would participate in the exhibition and demonstrate coordinated flights with other combat aircraft remained a key point of interest.
China has also been expanding its portfolio of unmanned combat platforms beyond the GJ-11. During the September 3, 2025, military parade in Beijing marking the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War, the country displayed several types of wingman drones and air-superiority unmanned aircraft for the first time.
Military experts quoted by Global Times said the new platforms represented not just advances in aircraft design but also a shift in China's approach to aerial warfare, potentially reshaping conventional combat formations and the future role of manned aircraft.
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