GJ-21 Drone Reported Aboard China's Type 076 Ship Sichuan
A navy source reported that the GJ-21 completed its first takeoff and landing aboard the amphibious assault ship Sichuan.
FlyMarshall Newsroom1 min read
Representative image. Photo: China News Service / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0
China’s Ministry of National Defense published an account dated October 30, 2026, reporting that a navy source said the GJ-21 had completed a takeoff-and-landing operation aboard Sichuan. The account describes the aircraft as a shipborne stealth reconnaissance-and-strike drone.
Key details
- The account identifies Sichuan as China’s first Type 076 amphibious assault ship and gives its hull number as 51.
- It says the ship launched on December 27, 2024, and began sea trials in November 2025.
- The account gives Sichuan’s full-load displacement as more than 40,000 tonnes.
The navy source described the reported flight as the GJ-21’s first takeoff and landing aboard Sichuan.
Why it matters
A reported takeoff and landing at sea links an unmanned aircraft with a newly developed amphibious assault ship. For aviation and maritime observers, the account offers a concrete example of shipboard operations for a reconnaissance-and-strike drone.
What happens next
Further details about GJ-21 operations aboard Sichuan could clarify how the aircraft fits into the ship’s flight activity. What developments in shipboard aviation will draw your attention next?
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