China Says GJ-21 Drone Completes First Shipboard Takeoff and Landing

China says its first Type 076 amphibious assault ship, the Sichuan, has completed the first successful launch and recovery of the GJ-21 stealth reconnaissance-and-strike drone. The late-October sea trial demonstrates the navy’s ability to operate fixed-wing unmanned aircraft from a large naval platform and marks a milestone in the ship’s development. Launched in 2024, the Sichuan has an electromagnetic catapult and arresting system and is designed to carry drones, helicopters and amphibious equipment. Chinese media described the GJ-21 as reusable and relatively low-cost, though its capabilities and the trial’s location were not independently detailed.