China's First Carrier-Based Stealth Drone Attack-21 Successfully Landed on Sichuan Amphibious Assault Ship
AM730 · 5 SOURCES1 day ago2 MIN
Summary
China has achieved a major milestone in naval aviation capability with the successful deployment of its first carrier-based stealth drone. The People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) announced on October 30 that the Attack-21, a reconnaissance-strike integrated stealth unmanned aerial vehicle, completed its first successful takeoff and landing on the Type 076 amphibious assault ship Sichuan (hull number 51). This accomplishment marks another breakthrough in China's amphibious assault ship development and signifies that the PLA Navy has acquired the ability to operate fixed-wing stealth drones from large maritime combat platforms .
Key Points
- The Attack-21 is the naval variant of the ground-based Attack-11 stealth drone, which made its public debut at China's Victory Day parade in September last year .
- The Sichuan is China's first domestically designed and built Type 076 amphibious assault ship, launched on December 27, 2024, with a full-load displacement exceeding 40,000 tons .
- The Sichuan features innovative technologies including electromagnetic catapults, arresting gear, a new integrated power system, and a fully automated landing guidance system .
- To accommodate shipboard operations, the Attack-21 received comprehensive naval modifications: a catapult hook on the nose landing gear, an arresting hook at the tail, and folding wings to reduce storage space on the cramped flight deck .
- Military expert Zhang Xuefeng highlighted three advantages of the Attack-21: superior stealth performance using a flying-wing design and S-shaped buried inlet, extended operational radius comparable to larger fighter jets, and cost-effectiveness through reusability .
Why It Matters
The successful integration of the Attack-21 onto the Sichuan transforms traditional amphibious assault ships from primarily troop-delivery platforms into formidable strike assets. According to expert Zhang Xuefeng, the drone can penetrate enemy air defense systems to strike maritime targets and deep inland strategic objectives, enabling the Sichuan to conduct independent anti-ship and land-attack missions . This development enhances the PLA Navy's independent combat resilience and positions the vessel as a force multiplier capable of suppressing and breaching enemy air defense networks before major assault operations, while also enabling coordination with manned carrier-based aircraft .
The successful integration of the Attack-21 onto the Sichuan transforms traditional amphibious assault ships from primarily troop-delivery platforms into formidable strike assets. According to expert Zhang Xuefeng, the drone can penetrate enemy air defense systems to strike maritime targets and deep inland strategic objectives, enabling the Sichuan to conduct independent anti-ship and land-attack missions . This development enhances the PLA Navy's independent combat resilience and positions the vessel as a force multiplier capable of suppressing and breaching enemy air defense networks before major assault operations, while also enabling coordination with manned carrier-based aircraft .